Monday, May 18, 2009

Sky dancers




Walking up the hill on a gray day, past the low cottage where Glyn is eating his solitary breakfast and up the emerald lane we disturb a family of four young ravens, newly fledged and full of the first joys of awkward flight. They rise into the wind and are tossed around in the turbulent sky while their parents sail on the ocean of air like anthracite bird ships, so in tune with their element, so sure and swift.
The parents dance with the wind, folding back wings to tumble in ecstasy, hanging still on the wind's edge. The young ones will learn how to balance the air on their soot black wings. For now they delight in their stumbling flight as we watch and wish for wings.

8 comments:

trash said...

Wouldn't wings be cool?

Poppy Q said...

Ravens are wonderful birds - they look ancient and full of mysteries.

rachel said...

What a delightful description of ravens! Such wonderful birds on the wing, and so amusingly like Edwardian vicars pompously strutting on the grass!

I enjoy your writing so much - it transports me immediately to the countryside, and it's made even more enjoyable by having ginger cats for company.

quiltcat said...

What a wonderful description of the raven parents and their young. Have you ginger cats read Ursula LeGuin's Catwings books? they are about some cats with wings, and wonderful illustrations of them, too!

Joanna Dover said...

Just to let you know - I tagged you!

blackbird said...

Here in the city (Seattle), we have crows, not ravens, and most people think that they are large enough.

I am watching for fledgling crows- it is that time of year. And in the city, there are so many dangers for the young ones. But, after a week or so, it's much harder to tell the babies from their parents. Unless they're demanding to be fed.

Griffin said...

I love watching the corvids fly! Their pinions like fingers outstretched as if feeling their way through the air... and the shadowy-ness of them too.

Ailurophile said...

Beautiful writing and blog. Great pictures too. Love your ginger kitties :)