The Morrigan
Weekly Scribblings #45:
https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/2020/11/weekly-scribblings-45-artistic.html
A picture prompt this week, prose or poetry inspired by one or more of three paintings. I chose two, 'Beautiful, YOU are' by Magic Love Crow, and 'Carnival Dreams' by Shelle Kennedy.
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| 'Carnival Dreams' by Shelle Kennedy |
Beautiful, you are,
though your thoughts are dark,
and bitter.
A macabre carnival of emotion
battles in you.
The heart you wear
belies the fury
of the one that beats.
Your face tells.
Tells of suffering,
loneliness,
too much despair
in one so young.
One still hoping.
Yet not daring to hope.
Hope!
The red balloon you cling to.
Hope!
Straining skyward.
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| 'Beautiful, YOU are' by Magic Love Crow |
Look outside the gates.
Outside your grim carnival
and watch the crows at sunset
fly in from the southwest.
Look to the rainbow crow.
She divines the battle,
recognizes the hunger in
your blank eyes.
Hunger for love.
For place.
For trust.
Your fate is entwined
with this crow of prophesy.
Give her the obsidian
that hangs from your ears.
Bring her juniper berries,
mead and milk.
Re-birth is within reach.
Reach for her.
Take your heart’s desires
from the crow,
and rest.
Struggle no more.
©2020 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved
I combined several crow legends, including several of The Morrigan, into one. So, if you notice, I knew it, and I claim poetic license!
Crows are one of my favorite birds, my favorites all being corvids.
“If men had wings and bore black feathers, few of them would be clever enough to be crows.”
Henry Ward Beecher
I love crows and other corvids too, and also like legends of them and the Morrigan. Also very keen on obsidian. So of course I love your poem with all its allusions and its positive message.
ReplyDelete(When I was out driving today, a beautiful big raven crossed my path, stepped aside and watched me pass, as if ushering me on – which I took as a good omen.)
Thank you. I'm so glad you found the allusions! I saw a murder of crows today. Seems wrong to call a group of such wonderful birds a "murder!"
DeleteAnother crow lover here. Your poem is really beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you, for the compliment and for loving crows!
Delete"Re-birth is within reach." If one remembers that, then anything is possible. Anything we dare to wish and work for is possible.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is. I am so glad you mention the "work for" part of it. We have to want it enough to do that. Sometimes changing ourselves hurts.
DeleteAnother crow-lover. What an eloquent interpretation of the painting, skillfully blending it with current times. Bravo
ReplyDeleteWell, it seems crows have a lot of fans in the poetry community! Thank you so much for the kind comment.
DeleteYou chose images that on the surface have no relationship to each other and created a poem that weaves them seamlessly, beautifully.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I saw the young woman with such depressing images I wanted to give her hope! What's more hopeful than a rainbow bird soaring into the sky?
DeleteI absolutely love this!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad!
DeleteA great combination of the two images, Lisa, culminating in a inspired poem, especially the opening lines, the juxtaposition of beautiful with dark and bitter, battling in a carnival of emotion, and hope as a red balloon straining skyward – to the rainbow crow. I too am a huge corvid fan.
ReplyDeleteThank you for such nice words!
DeleteLisa, this is great, it would meld finely with my write today. I like your verse in the "hope" portion, "Your fate is entwined with this crow of prophesy. Give her ... May we always be able to have hope.
ReplyDelete..
Thank you! I enjoyed reading up on The Morrigan to allude to her here, including the offerings.
DeleteAnother crow-lover too.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful words of the possibility of re-birth. If only we look...
Anna :o]
Thank you. I love how your poem has her broken heart cut out, and tethered to a string, the balloon. That was a concept I never thought of, and I believe yours is the only one to do that.
DeleteThank you! Your writing is truly beautiful! Big Hugs!
ReplyDeleteNo, thank YOU for such a beautiful painting to work with! Crows and rainbows.
Deletehope is a good first step
ReplyDeleteVery true. Nothing will ever change if we don't hope first.
DeleteYes! I cling to that red balloon of hope. Thank you for writing this poem!
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome, and thank you for your comments. Sometimes we need to hold tight to that hope as we feel it tugging to get away. It would be easier to just let go.
Delete"She divines the battle,
ReplyDeleterecognizes the hunger in
your blank eyes."
Just one of many beautiful phrases in this hopeful poem.
Wonderful writing, Lisa.
Thank you so much for your kind comments.
Delete