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  • The Fourth Craw
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The Fourth Craw

Nalini Paul

‘wasnae there at a’

Too much is said about night –
its fullness jug-heavy with distance
poured out into star-mapped flight.

But in the sky, protecting her addled head,
was a strange sense of grounding –
as if light were solid, for standing.

And from these things –
sparks in the high darkness
a smouldering moon –
came music, the raven’s song.

Its sound could wither the feathers of eagles
make fire from ice
play tricks with existence
changing form at a whim.

In the dim-lit great hall of glittering stories
the broken shine of the moon crackles.


Nalini Paul

from The Raven’s Song (2015)

Reprinted by permission of the author.

Tags:

birds metamorphosis myths night
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Nalini Paul

Nalini Paul is a poet and teacher of creative writing who collaborates across various art forms.
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