The Confidence of a Raven

My black, sleek wings are ready. Ready to preen. Ready to gleam. Ready for flight.

As I start standing on the cold stone, my talons rest with certainty. The skills my mother taught me, to have confidence, to know that the air will hold me and carry me to where I want to be.

To lift me high, high up into the treetops, which weren’t standing here before. To perch amongst the branches that hold my weight seemingly precarious, my balance certain, that I am here and I will hold myself aloft above the chaos below.

I have the freedom, the freedom to go where I please, to fly in the skies and know that I will not be persecuted in the same way as my friends of old.

People have seen us as a blessing. People have seen us as a curse, but now we go unnoticed by most. My raucous calls and vocalisations tell my others that I am here and I belong.

On fires, I swoop and explore, on carcasses, I feast, part of the ‘cleanup crew’, pulling and tearing the flesh alongside red-winged butterflies. The air will carry us both up. Up into the sky. Up into a belief that with space we can thrive.

Image: K. Morley. Black and white image of a wooden Raven carving.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/32b3d9_90bc7d20db63487280cd8def860e0e33/720p/mp4/file.mp4

Video: R Morley. Video of a family of ravens feeding on a roe deer carcass with vocalisations.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/32b3d9_5b3a5ca694744411bcde1e2dc903e009/720p/mp4/file.mp4

Video: R Morley. Video on Red Admiral butterflies on a roe deer carcass

This piece was written as part of a series of creative writing sessions that are being led by Dr Tanvir Bush and supported by Dr Sarah Bell of the Sensing Climate project. The series is called ‘The Elementals’, with each session guided by an elemental theme; Earth, Fire, Water, Air and Spirit.