As the Crow Flies
"Prophet!", said I, "thing of evil - prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore - Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore -
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels mane Lenore."
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."
-Edgar Allen Poe
Perhaps because of their dark color and the fact that they are carrion birds, scavengers of dead flesh, be it of man or beast, crows and ravens have long been viewed as intermediaries between us and the afterlife. Did you know that crows also count? They keep a close eye on hunters, knowing the difference between a hunter with a gun and a farmer with a rake. If three hunters enter a blind and only two emerge the crows will keep their distance, knowing full well that one still lurks inside. Crows laugh at the lovingly scarecrow that farmers put up. Seldom does a scarecrow last more than a week before it becomes a handy perch for crows to rest upon between corn fields. Farmers really should be happy that they are useless, as crows are not taking a "four talon discout" on the corn kernels when they may be attacking cutworms and white grubs instead. Are crows our friends or foes?? Who knows?
They are not something to be feared. They are a symbol of life. The indians honored them in their totem poles. They eat the road kill and other dead animals, is that bad? I believe they are a symbol of life, and if you have seen the move "The Crow", you would believe in the crow bringing back the soul of the dead to right a wrong. |
