December Ravens

Gold cherry
Poem of the week

By onemorething

Tue, 27 Dec 2022
  • 2288 reads
19 comments
 

This late December, it rained again, 

and despite the morning's first silvery light,

the day could only respond in steely darkness.

But it is the dead of winter, I said, and 

the ravens threw their heads back and laughed.

What rot and dearth! Bistered leaves scraunch

and fulch their decay at the edges of things,

nurse the seeds of a future Spring,

its early dawns nurtured there in death,

we just can't sense it yet, not yet.

So we brood in this season of exile

with its gaudy baubles 

and glittered faith. 

Let the draugr come, we say,

full of black clouds,

from his barrow, and

claws like a kattakyn,

he reeks of carcass,

here to lust-feast upon the bleak

with the birds in their midnight clothes.

A time of thwart, we honour it

in our many rituals of sadness.

 

A draugr is a revenant. Sometimes referred to as cats (kattakyns) in Old Norse. 
 

Image is from here: https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bosch,_Hieronymus_-_The_Garden_of_Earthly_Delights,_central_panel_-_Detail-_Raven.jpg

 

Certificate 12
Poem
Unclassified

Comments

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

An inspiring poem with the essence of nature in December.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks Jenny. :)

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Beautifully melancholic with a hint of hope - although I can always sense a change as soon as the solstice is done, can't you? Might be wishful thinking though smiley

Also I had never heard the old Norse for cats before - it's wonderful!

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thank you insert! I don't think it's wishful thinking, the changes are small, but every day there's a little more light. :)

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

I hadn't thought of us honouring darkness with sparkly decoratations, rather defying it. But you made me think about this time of year, the "dead of Winter" being like a person and the baubles being grave goods, like the gold in barrows. Draugr is a horrible word, it seems mutilated somehow, the gr at the end, yet harsh as well. I liked how your Ravens laughed at the thought of death, as  of wildness they know it is a necessary stage of life continuing - without death, life would be changeless and inconsequential , so truly dead

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Yes, I read something at sometime about ravens and feasting at Yuletide, but I don't recall where so don't quote me on it. Draugr is a harsh word, for sure, but apt. Thanks for reading it. :)

 

Submitted by Kris on

take me there to see it, feel it, hear it, smell it, live it.... yep*..... the 1morethng gravity-magic did it again..Thx

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Ha ha, thank you! That's very kind! :)

 

Submitted by Ed Crane on

This sums up the season so well, grey days, cold days, windy days. The depressing nature of things at this time of the year.. No wonder we feel the need to celebrate it's passing. I'm sure my ancesters relished joining the party at woodhenge in it's heyday.

If this doesn't get chosen as poem of the month I'll eat my hat (as they say)

thank you for posting this!

loved the Bosch detail. He and Peter Breugal are two of my favourite artists

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Ah, cheers Ed! Yes, Spring will be on the way soon enough, I guess, but we're in the rut of cold and wind and rain at the moment. The Bosch - well it seemed like a good match. Thanks for reading and commenting. :)

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

This wonderful poem is our Facebook and Twitter Pick of the Day!

please share/retweet if you enjoy it as much as I did

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thank you! Always chuffed to get Pick of the Day! :)

 

Submitted by celticman on

A revenant indeeed, what the corvine's know, we all know thanks to your words Spring is near. 

 

Submitted by onemorething on

They do know all. And yes, Spring is around the corner.

 

Submitted by marandina on

"But it is the dead of winter, I said, and 

the ravens threw their heads back and laughed."

There's that inner dialogue and, yes, a sense of melancholy. The language used makes it all so credible and authentic. Paul

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks Paul. Often a touch of melancholy. :)

 

Submitted by Ewan on

uses the colour "bister".

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by Ewan on

Excellent writing. Well done. That's why it's our Poem of the Week.

[Please share on social media ABCTalers!]

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by onemorething on

Cor, blimey, thank you!