Fox, With Ravens
The ravens came
with the thaw
like a black snow
falling on grey, pliant to
the sky-annulling summons,
wheeling the air
with their chaos kiss,
heaping the pale nude dead
with red jewels,
beak and claw.
They sank and burned, dark
torch to signal fire.
That's where I found you
at last, jubilant
among the foxes
knowing
corpse or raven,
tonight you sleep
belly full.
~May 2013
posted for real toads
Challenge: Out of Standard with Izy:"And you will know spring by its teeth"
As part of her usual go-against the grain approach, the one and only Isadora Gruye asks us to write of the underside, the other side, of sweet Spring.
Images: Top, Artist unknown, via She Who Is, Facebook
Footer, The Fox, by Franz Marc, 1913, Public Domain
I marvel at the very idea of this poem: the ominous ravens, the death in life of of naked corpses bedecked with red jewels, jubilation amid foxes. It's dark, arcane and profoundly Hedgewitch.
ReplyDeleteWild. You know I love both the fox and the raven, so for you to write this atmospheric little dark gem simply pleases my stony little heart.
ReplyDeletehey, you got to eat right? so there will be corpses...ha...def you caught the imagery of the underbelly....the second stanza in particular to me...nice on the red jewel blood as well....
ReplyDeleteI guess to some in nature that red would be like a jewel before their eyes. I'd say this meets the prompt for sure!
ReplyDeleteThis intrigued me, Hedge. We have ravens. The huge creatures taunt the dogs and cast shadows, dark and long, across pavement radiating with desert heat even early in the day. Their voices send shivers up spines. Our foxes, though, they are calm, quiet little canines.
ReplyDeleteShoot!!! You nailed this! Rich, rich writing...love that second stanza...wow and I love the whole idea...I shouldn't have read, Kerry's comment though...she really said it well.
ReplyDeleteFox and Raven paired...perfection, Hedge!!
Well, me, I've been vegetarian for many many years! (Tipi Hedron also features in my idea of a nightmare.) That said, many beautiful lines and images wheeling through the poem. I especially like those two lines the wheeling and chaos kiss - and the idea of ravens with thaw. k.
ReplyDeleteI so love "That's where I found you
ReplyDeleteat last, jubilant
among the foxes". Loved it!
This was the darkest poem I read on the prompt so far, and good on you! The corpses, the red, the damned ravens (I love their look; they scare me for some reason). You made Spring seem sad, chaotic, and at the mercy of nature... GREAT write, Kim. Amy
ReplyDeleteI really liked this one! It really is that time of year when the birds feast. I love seeing the eagles cleaning up all the deer from the sides of the roads.
ReplyDeletewhoosh! i particularly like the pairing of "annulling summons," that really works.
ReplyDeleteDark and deeply gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteyour are brilliant in your portrayal of spring's lustful hunger. The falling on, the beak and claw, sharp and vivid with colorful action. their chaos kiss took me far, and your closure is satisfying ... filling belly and senses.
ReplyDeleteThe epitome of spring at its darkest ...
ReplyDeleteWow, this is awesome. Definitely the dark side.
ReplyDeleteRaven is a god to the Haida people of the British Columbia coast. The Haida were the most powerful people on the west coast in days gone by.
K
I am listening to the Hobbit on Audio at the moment...yes I have read it umpteen times but wanted to listen to it. This reminded me of the life that those books breathe into the animals. this was foreboding and natural and a hint at the underbelly Izy spoke of. Great write and excellent use of the prompt.
ReplyDeleteYou took this prompt and made it everything I couldn't. I love the notion of ravens coming with the spring, spry and ready to "heap the pale nude dead with red jewels"....everything is dripping with gorgeousness here hedgey. The dark undertone only serves to highlight your brilliance.
ReplyDeleteWhile I like the whole piece, I want to pay notice of your last stanza, it's a dynamite ending that makes this one easily one of my favorite poems of all time. Well done and viva la
Joy Ann, the second stanza is perfection, but so is the whole concept you have written here is as well. You do know how to turn a prompt on its ear.
ReplyDeletePamela