Corvus corax
Raven
Shawna Thompson
When a raven circles above my head,
I know myself, my wisdom,
my way of life
follows that circle.
Soaring upward on the current
rolling on Wind’s breath
I become Raven.
shimmers in summer heat,
I turn and twist
with each blackened
beat of Raven’s wings.
My heart thrums in time
to that rhythm
and Wind sings me a song.
Hey ya, hey ya,
Earth’s child is born.
Hey ya, hey ya,
Earth’s daughter is here.
Flying high I am Raven
listening to my song,
listening to Sky’s blues
eying Earth’s greenness.
Saguaros’ verdant towers
lift their arms in celebration
as Raven settles down,
down to desert’s golden reddish dust,
I come back to my body
and bask in desert’s warmth,
jubilant in new knowledge.
~~~~~
Shawna Thompson is a Navajo poet currently living in Tucson and attending The University of Arizona. While working on her master's degree in library science, she has survived breast cancer as well as life in general. Shawna is happy, content, and stressed just enough to keep on writing.