Be the raven’s bent
In a populous stead,
Did ye gods ferment
He be of noble head,
Thus to be potentate
Rates occupy a state,
For the raven to lead
As he’ll find placate,
In mind and in deed
Despite he so deigns,
Be notion one heeds
As held cause of bane…
Too long perceived
Said distorted vein,
Of pods vulgar seed
Be ill-informed say,
To induce bias feed
Will imply be stray,
Yet will recall face
Of kind behaviour,
No matter the place
To share information,
Among fellow ravens
That identify humans,
Who mean recognize
A genius well proven…
Thus so cawing bellows
Assumes adorns the heavens,
Till be croaks rendered hollow
To attest be a mysterious fellow!
© Jean-Jacques Fournier
Poetry on a Canapé 
As you know, crows and ravens have been a source of interest for me over the years. Living in Northern Manitoba, I encountered huge ravens and now, living in Vancouver, I see thousands of crows making their nightly return to their roost in Burnaby. They are brilliant, have language skills, use tools, build communities and have a remarkable memories. And yet, crows and ravens have been stereotyped over the centuries, as tricksters, a symbol of back luck, associated with lost souls. Thank you for celebrating these noble creatures.
I thank you, Rebecca, for sharing your dedicated interest in crows and ravens, said interest I have had for a number of years. All the way back to my early youth, when in the summer I would spend time on and off on Grandmother’s farm where these beautiful birds crows and ravens were in great numbers. And talk they did, as well as cawing and croaking to theirs and my heart’s content. It would be many years before I would write my first poem, thus being “ The Crow ” in 2005, published in my second book in 2008. I’m proud to say that it won acclaim by a published well known English poet. Of all the poems I’ve written, especially about crows and ravens, this I feel is the best one, as well as my favourite. It may soon have competition from a new poem on a raven presently in progress. In the interim I will send you a copy of my very original crow poem of 2005 in its then style and unchanged.
Jean-Jacques
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Thank you so much, my friend!!!
Time enjoyed by the way, in the country, of a place called Huntington, Quebec. A place with which master Don is also familiar. They were happy days, of unpolluted air for us, and the Corvidae birds…
I enjoyed this different take on the crow. It’s always good to gain a new perspective, and poetry is the perfect vehicle for that.
I do like your way of analysis that gets you right to the point. Naturally, what and how you see s a new perspective, immediately forces me, so to speak, to look at my reflection in another manner from the influence that had me see the subject as so then written. Thus so, considering my other takes that formed a variety of poetry insights on said, Raven. Easy enough considering this brilliant creature, a talking one near human, no less, near human that is without their sad and ugly destructive side.
I enjoy your, to the point comment… Thank you for this Liz. Jean-Jacques
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You’re welcome, Jean-Jacques! The dialog among poet, poem, and reader is endlessly fascinating to me.