TBT POEM I dreamt about a crazy man who said he’d lost his hat; No smile with his grimace; and a snarl in his chat. He took his cane, of many years, and shook it toward the sky-- While muttering beneath his breath; “those feathered thieves must die!” The sky above turned ebony; the moon fell from the night: My breath was slightly shortened by this eerie-ghostly sight. The titan crows, they cawed a caw which warned him not to run: Or not only would he loose the moon; they’d take his daylight’s sun. One pecked at him and cawed the words, “you’re just some worthless bait” And the man then grabbed him by the beak and said “you’ve met your fate! I’ve lived a life of many, and I’ve shared a life with few, So take your time, my feathered friend, you’d best enjoy your view. I’m hungry and I’m tired and I think that you should know That the seeds you think you’re casting are not really yours to sow. So give me back my felted hat, or I’ll damn you to this earth: You’ll be wingless in a second and should pray for your rebirth.” The crow looked at him sideways, as if to question what he said; But thought better in that moment, no need to lose his head. The man released the crow from hand and looked him in the eye Saying, “Don’t you dare to doubt me, and here’s the reason why: When I was young, but just a lad, a Blue Bird came to sing, And she held within her claw that day a tarnished-sterling ring. Inscribed inside the ring she brought; the message was for me-- It told me I was Captain of the deep and stormy sea: The sea of life; the sea of death, as the shanty was her song. And I knew that I was willed to own the power of the strong. Although her song, seemed sorrowful, I filled up with a trust Granting life to those deserving and killing those I must.” The crow then sighed, and stepped away, no longer curious But his nature with his fellow crows, conjured spurious. He wondered how to get that ring; as it sparkled from his chain; He knew the man was very wise and he might need some arcane. And so he handed back the hat, and said “Take it you old man; But know you’ll never ever rest in peace, you’ve threatened our whole clan!” The man looked up with snapping eyes and asked “What did you say?” “Remember,” said the crow to him, “I can turn the night to day.” Shackles up, and hair on end, the old man fisted-up; Then told the crow, “Now watch your step, or you’ll drink from Earths death cup.” The three crows came together-- lining up like paper dolls-- Cut from the latest daily news and sharpened up their claws. “I want that ring,” the one crow said, the others cawed along: The old man smiled and looked at them, while they sang their last swan song. With felted hat back on his head, the old man walked away…. As he muttered very quietly, “You’ve lived your last of days.” And from his neck, he took his chain, with ring still in his hand, And he threw it at the crows with might, expecting a disband. They flew every direction and the man he stood to smile; For he knew the crow of gluttony would fall in a short while. And sure enough, in moonless night, he saw the crow come down; And he went to pick the crow back up and drive it into town. The crow now small and fragile, without his band of birds Lay there in a dream state, repeating these few words: “Old man, you are my destiny; you are my savior fare; Please let me live another day without a tear or care. Please let me fly with feathered-friends and do not bring me harm. For now that I behold the ring; I’ve become your sweetest charm.” The man, he sat to think a bit, and in agreement with the crow, Said, “Be right with all you hold in life and then I’ll let you go.” The crow, with beak, turned up to grin then said, “I’ll do my best.” And the old man warned him not to wane, for there’d be a final test. “The ring is yours,” the old man said, “I tire of its power; The strength divining from its shine makes one weaker by the hour. You must tell me how you’ll change this world, without the darkest storm For we on earth, conditioned, have adopted it as norm.” The crow’s feathers, they grew shinier as thoughts occurred to him “I’ll make the world shine brighter when the hearts begin to dim Its goodness we must try to live”, as he felt his light turn on And the old man finally exhaled, seeing light before his dawn. He pulled the crow close to his lips and said with such aplomb “Although it seems I’m dying, I’ll rise again for some.” For in his heart of lifetimes, he knew the truth would be That he’s more than any human, he’s the old man of the sea. The crow grew strong and flew away, not to forget his words; And he grew to be the leader among the wisest of the birds. He knew he’d see the man again, and give him back his ring; But first he’d have to see his crown then hear the angels sing. The crow sang out in harmony, gifting joy back to the world; And he flew in loop to loops that day and twirled and twirled and twirled. He still can feel the timeless-light, when the old man told him to go, He said “I’d pass on chicken any day, to eat a little crow.” Those words they grew uncomfortable, but he knew that in his rest; If he kept them close with promise, he’d pass the old man’s test. The Old Man and the Crow Words by Robin Clark © 2.23.2014 Image: Unknown
Posted on: Thu, 04 Sep 2014 21:00:41 +0000