Calling in the Crows
Written when newly re-located to the city and missing my crows.
Hear my voice in your cold dark dawn
frosty branches and purple streaked sky.
Awake! rouse yourselves!
heads removed from covering wing.
Come now, to this small city dwelling.
Fly above the cliffs and the barren cornfields,
majestic architecture and city churches.
Let me hear your noisy ponderings
as to the reason for your summons
in adjacent bleak trees,
devoid now of foliage,
mute,
trusting in seasons.
Sloping down to the river
flowing always flowing…
Like life,
breath
no matter what the day
has brought.
En masse,
your precious black bodies
reminiscent of *Armadale
talk to me beyond words,
beyond worlds….
Become a covert shield,
A dark place of re-connection;
Power.
Come now with comfort
and tales of new tomorrows on your beaks.
Petitioned from the steel horizon
by one who loves to hear your stories.
Cover me in blue-black feathers,
share your beating hearts with me.
Shelter me
among your squawking chaos.
Peck me to life .
- Armadale A place of retreat for me for two years in the country
you’re a fertile girl, your poem rich if in need of a bit of consolidation. and sometimes your speaking voice can be a bit stilted. all of which is to say i like your poem and maybe can show some of what i was saying, Hear me (cut Hear my voice) Rouse yourselves (cut Awake!) Peep out from covering wing (instead of heads removed) Come. (instead of Come now.) perhaps “Soar above cliffs, barren cornfields,” cut the next line (with architecture, churches) perhaps I’ll listen in on your noisy ponderings of the reason for your summons, In adjacent bleak trees,… Read more »
Well, I am aware ths poem is not concise..but I feel it is more mind stream as some of mine tend to be. A very different kind than the kind you write for instance. You have given me a lot to think about so will take time. When you say cut this and that I feel you are writing as a man whereas I feel this is the way I express myself You see, I am seeing it all in my mind as I write so Awake! rouse yourselves! I am issuing a demand. again ‘come now’ a demand that… Read more »
Dear Allison, you are absolutely charming. i had been to your poem several times before but was put off by the length if i was going to try to remark. if my suggestions sound like a “man’s voice” then by all means listen to your own. you are a good poet with a very rich internal life and that’s where your poems come from. i do love crows and ravens and i think the picture you posed for with crow wings is both beautiful and a tad risque. Your friend, Pops
Me in the pic? I’ve seen the day but now it’s night lol 😉
No, Armadale was the name of the country cottage I stayed in in Aberdeenshire. It was a great place across from a farm and open fields are far as the eye could see. I had almost an acre of ground with plenty trees filled with crows and pheasants under my window. I got a good view of Benachie away in the distance. At night it was pitch black, no street lights, so wonderful view of the stars. For a while I had no car and bus service was very infrequent. I had to stand across the road with a torch… Read more »
Some great stand out lines in this and love the strong last verse and end line…Leila x
Wow! Thank you Leila.
Alison x
Hello Alison,
Much enjoyed reading you poem, and indeed understanding some of it. I also enjoyed the conversation between yourself and Slovitt who clearly likes your work.
Perhaps this poem is a good example of the difficulties that those of us face who do not have a natural ‘ear’ for poetry. We want it to speak to us as it speaks to others but often can’t. Understanding the words is not the same as understanding the meaning.
Just as a matter of interest, the Kimber Coat Of Arms includes three Cornish Chufs. Very similar to crows!
Michael
Hi Micheal, Apologies for late reply 😉 “Understanding the words is not the same as understanding the meaning.” I understand what you are saying. This particular poem can be read on different levels and perhaps this is a slightly different example, as it does change in the middle somewhat. My conversation with Swep was a good chance to explain why it was set out like this as opposed say, to being all in one. I think you worry too much to be honest. If you enjoy a poem surely that is enough? I do admire the enthusiasm and perhaps slight… Read more »
I love this Alison, I read your words and the poem came across as if you were demanding they came to you, you had a real need of them. A real passion to be with them once more, shown in your ‘peck me to life’. But when I listened it was completely different, still the need, the passion but so much more gentle, more of a plea for them to come to you. Either way, it’s a wonderful piece. I really enjoyed the way you read it, the pauses, the softness of your voice. Lovely. Sue xx
Hi Sue, Apologies again for late reply. I totally forgot 😉 Yes, I toned down the recitation but it starts with a summons, not a request. However, I am not lording it over them ,so to speak, but treating them as much loved friends, as shamanically speaking, they are “crow brothers” I do start by calling out though, as I am imagining them still asleep on the trees, so far away and I need them to wake up and come to help me. When they arrive I tell them what they mean to me, what I need of them. Glad… Read more »