Raven: The Reason Why

Raven appears as trickster and bringer of magic in stories that fly through time and territory, his cleverness ultimately providing humans with surprising benefits.  

The Reason Why raven appears in The encyclopedia of Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico

 Enduring creatures, Ravens appear in the Lascaux cave paintings, the Bible, Babylonian flood myths, Norse, Celtic, and Native American stories and more. Raucous, rowdy, defiant, sensual and smart, their cleverness is admired by scientists, their mystery acknowledged throughout world cultures.

A jewelry maker from Boston, graduate of the esteemed North Bennet Street School, gave a print of this Raven to a dear friend in New Mexico who knew the pleasure of sitting with her dog named Bear and talking to ravens. Soon after the dog died, a raven feather appeared on the front stoop. The owner believes that the feather is a message from Bear.
Meet more ravens for sale @http://www.bethsurdut.com/listening-to-raven.html

Raven Walks in Orion Magazine, Roosts at the NM State Land Office

The wind comes up cold in August.

Coyotes bark in the valley

I sit on the mountain

Raven wings brushing my hair

Pay attention to me, says Raven.

I will. Tomorrow. 

Right now I’m distracted

Tied up. Tied down. 

Raven sits in the juniper

Watching me as I draw him

Looking at me

He swoops in to untie a knot

He talks to me every day.

Light glancing off his feathers

Six drawings later

My eyes are reflected in his

As I walk in the desert morning

Raven lands in front me

Listen, he says

     And finally I do.       

©Beth Surdut  2011 

Nov/Dec  Orion Magazine--Walks Like a Man and my thoughts about habitat and wildfires
Meet the  raven  clan  http://www.listeningtoraven.com