Elijah’s Raven

Behold, my little-wings,
He sees as we do,
Shares our secrets
In the dancing dark-bright fire of his eyes.

Look where he stares, beyond where stars are born,
Beyond the waves of deeps and vasts,
Into formless Night.

And, still he holds his gaze
Waiting, waiting
For rippling wings of light:
Creation’s promise of return.

These tall flyless ones tarry not in the desert
But they die.

We clean their bones.
We clean their bones.

But this one nests here
Thriving in our craggy vision-worlds.

Hear how his cracked voice parts the air!
Water flows from Cherith rocks.

All is changed.

Fly, my children, my brave ones!
We must feed our kin.


b. r. norman
in answer to w.s. merwin's
"Noah's Raven"