Beauty and the Raven
She sits on cushions piled high,
watching endless days march by,
Thinking she will surely die.
Until she meets the Raven.
Silken wings of feathers black,
Golden eyes, narrow beak.
She thinks that she has never seen,
Such a handsome Raven.
Wings stretched wide in prideful vain,
Raven gently speaks her name,
“Come with me, my lovely queen,”
says the hopeful Raven.
Beauty blinks her tear-lit eyes,
lifts them up towards the sky,
“Do you think that I can fly?”
Beauty asked the Raven.
“Trust in me, my little one,
together we can touch the sun,”
Beauty takes her first steps,
towards the waiting Raven.
On feathered wings they fly high,
Soaring, swooping ‘cross the sky,
Until the moon begins to rise,
Then Beauty looks at Raven.
With tender tone, Raven speaks,
silver tears on jet black cheeks,
“Stay Beauty, do not leave,”
begs the saddened Raven.
To feathered nest he brings his bride,
firmly nestled by his side,
Down of jet and skin of pearl,
Beauty and the Raven.
Morning greets them strong and bright,
Raven takes his morning flight,
Beauty watches in pure delight,
“Oh, my handsome Raven”.
Years passed by in rapid pace,
A smile upon Beauty’s face,
Until the day we can’t erase,
When Starling spoke to Raven.
“You pompous fool, you silly bird!”
“The strangest thing I ever heard!”
“You’re a bird, and she is not!”
Starling screeched at Raven.
Raven hung his noble head,
and took to his feathered bed,
wishing he were surely dead,
Poor, sad Raven.
“Beauty, come to me my sweet,”
said Raven tired, and oh so weak.
“Listen carefully, for I must speak,”
whispered the saddened Raven.
“They say that we should not be,”
“That you are you, and I am me,”
“Why can’t they just let us be?”
asked the tearful Raven.
“I am black and you are white,
I’m too tired to stay and fight,
We must part this very night,
For I am just a Raven.”
Beauty sits on cushions high,
Watching amber sunset skies,
Trying hard not to cry,
Dreaming of her Raven.
Copyright
2002, All Rights Reserved. Karen Kerkhoff