Shadowed by the carrion bird
you pick the bones and sinew
from the moonlit pond we shared
Shadowed by the soot of history
mistakes of destinies we never knew
our hearts are eaten by the crow
Shadowed by our silent screams
despaired by moonlit losses
of its suffocating wings
We fill our pond with vitriol and ash
and cry in desperate dementia
of brittle independency
Crow Lake © Kelly Letky
Today at real Toads we write poetry to the wonderful art of Kelly Letky. I also link this to Poetry Pantry
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August 31, 2014
Björn Rudbergs writings 
whew…brittle independence….
that opens this up to a couple interpretations for me….in relationships…but also politically….quite a vivid feeling you produce…the third stanza built to a nice crescendo for me…
Dark turn of a relationship when:
our hearts are eaten by the crow
And when the moonlit pond turns vitriol & ash, all are shadowed history ~ Enjoyed your response Bjorn ~
Oh, what the shadowed images behind your words and such beautiful picture….such a contrast…is this a hope that everything could be different for all of us?
Powerful, Bjorn. I love “brittle independence. Have to say I also love the crow. 🙂
The pain is palpable in your words, as if that crow was tearing your heart bit by bit.
This is one of my favorite images by Kelly and your poem fits so perfectly with it. Love it.
Such strong imagery in this poem…’hearts eaten by the crow’ really expresses the depth of pain.
this image inspired me to write a dark poem but the lines wouldn’t simply come…the second and the last stanza speak volumes of the present times…shadowed indeed…
darkly delicious
Bjorn, Dark as the feathers of the carrion bird this time. Well written. 🙂 —Susan
Oooh! I like the anaphora you have used here, Bjorn. It gives great emphasis to the mood of this poem.
your choice of photo is so apt, i love today’s craft– mix of mistakes made and bitter taste of remorse; ah our humanness! have a nice Sunday
much love…
I really liked this image as well – and the somber mood, the shadow – certainly makes me think of numerous things going on in this world today…
This could be a seriously excellent metal song, Bjorn–the Crow that picks love’s flesh from the bones of the sweet past…love it.
haunting.. “mistakes of destinies we never knew” – this thought is brilliant.
Haunting is the word I would choose–there is something foreboding about this–hopefully we can avoid this —
So well done, Bjorn. I really like how you use the repetition of “shadowed” and it fits the image so well. We’ve been seeing more hawks in our neighborhood this last week. This morning while walking the dogs I saw one swoop in for the kill. I was ready to throw myself on my small dogs to protect them!
A powerfully beautiful poem and then, oh! that glorious image of the bird in blue! A feast in here this morning, my friend!
Yes, I have to tell you that this image is a personal favorite of mine, I have this strange affinity for crows… and your words are the perfect complement to it. Slightly ominous but filled with life, brittle independency is a fabulous phrase.
Love the first stanza.
A new tweak to the carrion crow image! We share its dinner! It loses its wings, and our voices do not carry. Thus grows the pit that in a million years or so will be a resource of oil and tar for those who come later. I like the refrains–the ana-something–repeating and affirming that despite a brittle kind of independence, we are not alone. Yikes.
I didn’t expect something so dark from you
Really well done
Brings to mind my first marriage.
namaste
JzB
very dark and disturbing images – the shadowed beginning of the stanzas – very effective – K
really enjoyed this piece – every word perfectly place
Independence has its disadvantages and happiness is unlikely.
Pairing human pain with the bird’s dark side ~ amazing.
Very powerful words, Bjorn! I enjoyed reading them today 🙂
Such a need to connect and missed in the attempt.
Brilliantly composed! Gripping from the start to the end.
well that was a bit of a haunting view of one’s independence…loved it to the core! the artwork of the bird makes it magical.
Jamztoma
jamztoma.blogspot.com
Powerful first lines really set the mood for this poem and picture.
Such a dark, but beautiful poem, “our hearts are eaten by the crow” That so gives words and visual to heartbreak.
This is so vivid that I can almost taste the soot, the searing aftertaste of vitriol and remnants of ash on my lips. Wow. Your use of “shadowed” as the first word of the first three stanzas really worked to build up to the final stanza as a climactic closing pronouncement. Deep with feeling.
dark, dark.
All I could think of when I read this was divorce. Very vivid and compelling imagery. The scavenging of a disaster. I have the feeling that only those who have been through such could write like this. Are you okay my friend?
I am of ok.. but there have been occasions when there are quarrels that get too close to comfort. but it seems ok.
Eerie and I love your opening with the carrion bird, Bjorn…great tone.