Shortly after I started this blog, I googled to see if there were any other blogs about crows on the Internet. Turns out there are quite a few. I read some of the blogs they were following and now most of those are in my Blogs I Follow list.
,,,
All of which is leading to an explanation of the piece of "art" pictured above. I found blogs by artists whose work I admire, whose work has inspired me to try my hand at creating something more than a pile of dishes waiting to be washed.
...
I used an image I mentioned in an earlier blog, altered it with pastels and pencils and ink, plus some scrapbooking papers and stickers. Then I scanned it and altered the image some more using Paint.net's photo editing program. Enough about the picture.
...
...
...
I am Crow.
I rule the sky.
The Universe is my creation.
I am eyes and ears to the Great Spirit,
who made me his Totem.
I taught Bear to hunt,
and Man to sing.
I am Crow.
...
I am Crow.
I am smartest of birds.
I taught Raven
everything he knows.
I sing the Sun up each morning
and put it to bed each night.
I am Crow.
...
I am Crow.
I taught the rivers to flow
and oceans to tide.
I bring each season in its time.
I taught Man the importance of
fidelity and the value of family.
I am Crow.
...
I am Crow.
I taught Man to laugh, to
love and to Dance.
I taught him to solve problems,
and to make tools.
I gave the World fun and games.
I taught the World how to mourn.
I am Crow.
...
I am Crow.
I am the Keeper of all secrets
and spiritual wisdom.
I am the Watchman.
I am the Teacher.
I am the Giver of all things good.
I am Crow!
(c) 2009 Martha McLemore
20 comments:
I love it - both the picture and the poem. Where did you get the poem? It's wonderful.
I'll go add this to my word meme right now.
:>{=
(that's supposed to be a crow)
Crow taught Raven, huh? I've always respected Crow, but felt that Raven was like an even more impressive big brother to him. Guess I need to take another look at their relationship.
Wonderful piece of work, Martha.
Michelle, I wrote the poem last night, just before I posted it. (Thank you for the compliment.) One of the reasons I didn't answer your challenge right away was that I was ruminating on the words, trying to get something together, to do the challenge justice. The other reason was I wanted to make something "arty" to illustrate the poem...to do crows proud, if I may be so bold.
Martha
Kali:
I agree that Raven is an impressive bird, beautiful and majestic to my eyes.
I read recently, though, that the reason ancient Crows survived the great kill-off 65 million years ago is because of their superior brain and their adaptability.
Makes me think Crow came first.
Thank you for your kind words.
Martha
Hello Martha! I enjoyed your poem and the picture you made to go with it. Great job with the Save the Word meme. Lovely blog. Hope you have a wonderful day. :D
Thank you for visiting, Daisy, and for your compliments. I hope your day is equally fulfilling.
The first Phil Collins song in your post was new to me, but touched a spot in my heart I try to keep hidden, for my own good. My grandson is autistic, on the high functioning end of the spectrum of disorders. He is so different from most other kids and has had the worst time trying to fit in with his peers. He has/suffers Asperger's syndrome and has an extremely poor grasp of acceptable social skills. He has been bullied in the schools he attended in one county where he lived, to the point that he considered suicide.
Phil's song, "You'll be in my heart" damned near broke mine this afternoon. I couldn't write this awhile ago when I first responded to your post, because I couldn't speak what was in my heart...I still can't speak everything, but I wanted you to know I am grateful you included the video in your post. I needed to hear the song. I needed to cry out some of the pain and sorrow I feel for this precious boy. Thank thee, friend.
Martha
Wonderful art work. I'm so glad to see you soaking up the creativity out here. You are an extraordinary artist, poet, commenter. Your last comment made me pause at this line in your poem.
"I am the Keeper of all secrets"
That is a dangerous thing for any creature. Might you wish to write the secrets and empty the vessel a bit?
Hello, Peggy:
When I wrote that line, I meant it in "guardian of all the secrets" way, rather than in the "sin-eater" context thy question above might suggest.
To sidestep thy question, she said, taking two steps to the left - metaphorically speaking, of course - I am struck by the synchronicity of our respective posts and the comments that have followed. Since I do believe we create from all that we know/have experienced/keep locked, it is interesting to me that it took thy sharp eyes to point out how personal the poem is, after all. I didn't make the connection, if there is one.
On the other hand, what you said about soaking up all the creativity has bearing on this, as well. What you've written over the last few weeks, and its effect on me, likely had a subconscious influence on the words I chose and strung together. Just as Michelle's challenge and Suki's (among many other artists') work influenced my desire to stretch my boundaries and try something new.
As for emptying the jar, I've been doing that on a regular basis with a therapist, but I'm taking a break from that for a little while. Healing the psyche is hard work, as you might very well understand.
I find being creative and posting the ordinary and the mundane of my life is therapeutic, in itself. Besides, I haven't worked past the shame and humilation enough to lay ALL the details out for anyone else to rummage through just yet.
I wrote about my grandson in response to Daisy because of the effect Phil Collins' song had on me this afternoon, in the wake of having my grandson home for a weekend visit.
As a Quaker, I try to see that of God in everyone, but I am not always successful when it comes to my grandson. Not that he isn't worthy or doesn't have the Light within - he does, of course, far more than anyone else I know. What I cannot see as "that of God" in him is his mental and physical illnesses, which he had no voice in choosing. Sometimes, Peggy, it is a real challenge to my faith in the rightness of the universe when I see this boy, who is sixteen going on nine or ten, struggle with this load that none of us can take from him.
Have I mentioned anywhere that he was misdiagnosed as bipolar while he was in one of the state mental facilities, and that the medication prescribed to him (lithium, I believe) nearly killed him? It isn't just society that doesn't understand or know how to treat kids like him, neither do some of the doctors, who are supposed to have the answers. (I made a painting that expressed what I thought being bipolar must feel like to someone who must endure it. My therapist thought it was more telling about my feelings regarding Donovan's misdiagnosis.)
He is now in a treatment facility where he is finally getting the help he needs, and he's making progress. We can see that he is trying his best to learn how to fit in, to get along with the rest of the world.
Sometimes, though, I wonder if it isn't the rest of the world that needs to learn how to fit in with him. It pisses me off to think that it is the kid with the illness who must struggle to accomodate society, especially the bullies in his life. Why aren't we teaching the bullies how to get along in this world, as well?
Gee, look what you unlocked! I'm guessing this probably isn't the response you thought you might receive when you asked that innocent question.
Or, Probing Peggy, was this thy intent all along? ;-)
Martha
thisis my first visit to your blog. Your words, your creativity is fascinating. I will return to read you again soon.
~AM
Thank you, Airman Mom, for visiting.
I hope your son returns to you safe and sound...and soon.
Martha
You know me very well indeed. We might be birds of a feather. I'd love to see that painting. I have great compassion and empathy for you and the grandson. His suffering must be great. Not all difficulty is so easily labeled and then cured. If only it were so simple.
Utah Peggy:
I'll post a photo of the painting, with an explanation.
Hello Crow
Your poem touched me in many ways - especially the part about teaching Raven all he knows LOL! I so wanted to be a Raven, but somehow have mostly known I'm a Crow. So it is good to read your take. Great poem, good and wishful thoughts - thank you for sharing. I love your crow picture on top of your banner - I have one that I took of an Icelandic Raven somewhere that looks almost identical. I didn't know there were Quaker Crows.
WOW!
love both the painting and the poem... and the way you communicate through crows...
caaw caaw
:)
Terry:
I found a phot on the internet of three ravens walking through snow, their feathers all fluffed. They reminded me of some of the older (no longer with us, sadly) members of my meeting here in Pennsylvania. If I can find it, I will post it for you.
Thank you for visiting and for your kind words. Have you visited WWW.ascar.org? (I think that's correct address.) It is the American Society of Crows and Ravens. One can join simply by stating the desire to do so. I think you might enjoy the site.
Martha
Hello, HB:
Thank you for visiting. I have been following your blog and observing a real poet in actin!
Martha
caaw... caaw...
i'm much flattered!
:)
It is deserved...caw! :)
Congratulations on your poem which I have just read again. Did you know that the French/Swiss architect Le Corbusier (real name Jeanne Ret-Gris, called himself Le Corbusier, the name of a relative on his father's side, but also related to Corbeau the French word for Crow, a bird with which he liked to be associated.
Hello, Joe:
How nice to see you here! Thank you for the compliment. I'm not really a poet, but it was easy to write about crows.
No, I didn't know about Le Corbusier. After I read your response to Lucy, I googled corbeau and was amazed at the number of crow articles (sad to admit I couldn't read because they are in French) and images, none of which I have already.
I am learning many things through you...all sorts of new and shiny things!
Martha
Post a Comment