Common Raven, photo by Frank D. Lospalluto (Flickr)
Spring is full of moods here in New Mexico, sometimes freezing cold (we had snow last weekend) and always windy, windy, windy. Remembering springs in Kentucky before the weather began to change, I keep waiting grumpily for a spell of warm, settled weather. But not my friends the ravens. This is the weather they adore.
Every day when I’m out walking, a burst of ravens, eight or so, explodes ahead of me on the trail. They are so smart it wouldn’t be beyond them to remember when I start out and gather to startle me, for you see, they have a sense of humor.
As soon as they jump into the air, they ascend to the wind currents a hundred feet up and begin their happy-go-lucky dance. Sometimes in pairs—and they do mate for life—sometimes singly or in groups they glide down the invisible streams of wind in the blue sky. After gliding for a while, they begin to dip and swerve, deep into the arroyo, then surge up again. They repeat and change their patterns, together and separate, having learned that the best way to dance is alone or with different partners.
I stand astonished, watching them, and my bad humor melts away.
I think they’ve forgotten me as they ascend ever higher, but they have not. As I go down into the woods, I hear a strange chuckle from a tree. One of the ravens has stayed behind to greet me with her humorous hello. She’s hidden in the trees and I can’t see her but her chuckle follows me down the trail.
But just as I’ve become familiar with this gentle reminder, another raven, also hidden in a tree, startles me with a sharp caw. I think these crafty and intelligent birds must have learned that we humans are easily startled.
Now I look forward to seeing my group every windy morning.
Poe’s most famous poem, “The Raven,” purveys s a dark interpretation of what ravens might signify. Your post goes in the opposite direction, and for that I am grateful. Two other positive interpretations come to mind: the help crows give to Tibetan Buddhists searching for reincarnated Dalai Lamas, and the supposed alliance between ravens and the institution of the British monarchy.
Always look up!