lineage

as if always
echoes out of nowhere–
like raven shimmered,
gathered into silence,

echoed out of nowhere
on the water’s edge–
gathered into silence
like the beginning of time—

on the water’s edge,
iridescent, unfathomable–
like the beginning of time,
balanced on the horizon,

iridescent, unfathomable–
like wings thundering–
balanced on the horizon,
a whisper

like wings thundering
inside dreams–
a whisper
that begins as brume

inside dreams–
the way the sky
begins as brume,
opens and frees itself—

the way the sky
within and without
opens and frees itself,
shining

within and without–
tiny stars of stillness
shining
through light,

tiny stars of stillness–
like raven shimmered
through light–
as if always

Lindi at earthweal this week says: Write yourself into your landscape, what shapes you there and what is shaped by you? Name the gods of your rivers and skies, tell us how you live by and through them and how they live through you — let the world know they are holy! Birds always write me into wherever I am, and Crow seems to always find me. Are they gods? many ancient cultures believe so. They are certainly holy.

This pantoum was written for The Ekphrastic Review challenge which was the totem pole carved by Canadian artist Ellen Neel, below. Raven is the bottommost figure on the pole. My thanks, once again, to editor Lorette C. Luzajic for featuring my work. You can read all the responses here.

30 thoughts on “lineage”

  8. Pantoum is a very demanding form in our language–I’ve attempted it a few times, and it is rewarding, as this one fully shows us with its deliberate yet delicate tracks down the page that like a crow’s hops, go from one point of interest/importance to the next, forward, sideways or back, but never really as random as they seem..You’ve given me several of my favorite things here–crows, form, and poetry that also shimmers out of the void, into the mind to mark its own place.

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    1. Thanks so much. I love repetition, so I often end up with the pantoum, although I don’t often try to rhyme them any more. And you’re right, the movement is part of the attraction. And…crows!

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  9. I’ve never attempted this poetic form you have mastered so well, I have such a love for crows. I have daily visits from them in the woods behind my home. I feel you know them well also. Beautiful writing.

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  12. The pantoum is one of my favorite forms and you did an excellent job. You have brought the crow to life honoring his journey starting at the edge of the water and swooping down the cascading waterfall of words. Wonderful writing!

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