How To Love Like a Raven Loves
Legend says birds mate on Valentine's Day and one year when it fell on a Sunday and the weather was warm for an afternoon in February I saw the territorial pair down front in the clearing, the female preening alone in light rain on top of a broken off red pine. She took long elegant strokes down her back as far as her head could reach. The male kept watch, scanning heaven and earth from the tallest tree at the forest's edge, but he turned away for shorter and shorter times until he barely took his eyes off her, his intention narrowing to one purpose, one word, “You.”
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Author's Note
Published in Doorknobs and BodyPaint in issue 85, February 2017.
Other stories by Dianne McKnight-Warren
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Beautiful
* yes!
Ravens know how. *
"She took long elegant strokes down her back as far as her head could reach."
So nice. Beautiful prose.
"his intention narrowing to one purpose, one word, 'You.'"
A fine piece.
That "You" drops practically inevitably and as naturally from this piece as you'd expect at least one drop to collect from squeezing a moist sponge. Form and content very well matched here.
Si oui ja da and yes!
Thank you friends for your generous comments. I appreciate them more than I can say.
Ha, love it.(Read Chaucer's Parliament of fowls years ago & your lovely poem reminded me of such.) Nice punchline ending to your piece: "his intention/ narrowing to one purpose, one word, 'You.'"
Thank you, Ed.
Great setting, perfectly described.
Beautifully done.
Well written and quite beautiful *
Thank you Eamon, Gary, and Foster. Much appreciated.
Fantastic!
*, Dianne. Excellent work. We sorta love like the ravens.
Thank you, Darryl.
We do, David! Thank you for reading and commenting.
Your wonderful raven bird made me think of John Lennon. "And when I awoke, I was alone, this bird had flown."*
Thanks Tim!
I wrote a book, Lola and the Raven. I did mucho research and found these birds amazing; and that's after they've talked to you.
We have a good population of Ravens here in the Redwood Forest. They are phenominal to watch when pairing up to be a family. Mix in what the Shaman of the First People know about the Ravens and you have booked a trip on a magic ship. And BTW it's illegal to own one here. But with a few hors d'ouvres and some patience you might entice one to have a few words with you. Dianne has them right. Much enjoyed.
Thank you Larry! Ravens are wonderful. Once when our territorial pair had a nest full of raucous babies to feed, I left roast beef for them in a tree close to their nest. A few weeks later the male left a wing feather under that tree.( I keep it on my desk.) From his behavior I think he remembered that kindness for years.
I'll look for your book!
Excellent.
Thank you for reading and commenting, Iain. I appreciate it.
Stunning... masterful... unique and fierce.
*****
Thank you James Lloyd Davis. Much appreciated!
Unforgettable image!
Thank you Phillis. Appreciate.