Cronk! Raven’s call. “Diet is varied and opportunistic”. Cronk!, announcing carrion. Big black bird of varied reputations, mythical, dark. Cronk! Associated with death.
Why? Raven, not hawk nor dove, just a witness, an opportunistic feeder. Raven hears the gunshots, raven flies in, watches, waits.
With each bullet fired
Obliterated childhood
His own soul fading
To himself brings brutal death
Innocence is carrion.
Cronk! Raven calls in her family, teaches them to thrive. They, opportunistic feeders, learn to listen for the gunshots. Carrion eaters do not wonder at the source, do not wonder why there are so many fallen children.
***
Carrot Ranch March 1, 2018, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story that includes a raven. It can be in nature or used to describe humanity as a metaphor. Follow the bird. Go where the prompt leads. Respond by March 6, 2018, to be included in the compilation (published March 7). Rules are here. All writers are welcome!
ShiftnShake 
Very sad piece, D. Too many shots, too many childhoods shattered. You can’t blame the ravens for being ravens, though. They are doing what they need to do for the earth. Pity those taking the shots wouldn’t learn from them too.
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Oh, Norah. It is sad.
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It is.
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Wow. Politicians, pundits and lobbyists alike, sadly hear the gunshots and scatter on how best to save THEIR interests rather than innocent lives.
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Yep.
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“Innocence is carrion.” Poignant.
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Yeah. Thanks for coming by.
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Came here to pay my respects to this powerful piece of art.
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Thank you Charli Mills.
That was a powerful piece you shared at Carrot Ranch. Pieces, actually.
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I’ll say something more. Your post leading to the prompt mentioned symbolism. The great American bald eagle is also a carrion eater. I have seen them; beautiful birds of prey (we love that; the black and white that is red white and blue) but they will also pick at road-kill and dump refuse. I’ve seen them. I find them less charming than a raven or a crow. Less symbolic.
I started into this piece with the notion that symbols get maligned, blamed, or used, both shield and excuse for unconscionable behaviors that have nothing to do with them.
The ‘he’ in the tanka is the shooter, it is he who in shooting obliterates his own childhood and erodes his own soul; but just behind the shooter is society. If you read the ‘he’ as being the patriarch in charge, that’s okay too, the interpretation makes sense. In considering that, I had to realize that he is a very broken child; because of his age we would say mentally ill. The patriarch. In charge.
The ravens in this are behaving naturally. The humans? I hope not.
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Symbology is like a language that can reveal more than what we intend to say. And, as you point out it can also be used to cover up, hide and misdirect. In many ways, I think adherence to symbols is an excuse not to think — we simply feel “proud” when the eagle flies. But the writer observes befor any word is ever written. There is a sacredness to this process. We look at the old symbols yet allow other symbols to interact and we apply our idea in a package that allows readers to contemplate the symbology. Discourse is a part of writing and reading. I’m liking your discourse on symbols, eagles and “he” who heads the patriarch with a broken mind.
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