Where Ravens Talk Of Fate

Where Ravens Talk Of Fate
© Surazeus
2026 07 22

Too tired to understand why dark clouds cry, 
the girl who knows where crippled angels hide 
trudges slowly on dusty road of hope 
to gather berries from dream-tangled vines, 
but dodges gasping aside just in time 
to avoid the huge speeding pickup truck. 

Heart pounding from the psyche-jolting shock 
of almost getting slammed by metal grill, 
the girl who knows where lonely horses graze 
sobs hysterically while gasping for breath, 
then lies flat on soft grass behind dead oak 
and stares at clouds where no angels play harps. 

For some strange reason she remembers when 
her mother baked cinnamon apple pies 
while snow was swirling in sweet playful gusts 
of cold but friendly wind of starless night, 
so she pretends her mother is still home 
and did not disappear one summer dawn. 

After filling straw basket on her arm 
with blackberries, raspberries, and walnuts, 
the girl who knows where honest devils creep 
sits on the ground outside the market square 
to sell ten berries for one copper coin 
that glimmers with transcendent innocence. 

When she has earned twenty-four copper coins, 
stamped with the playful face of Mercury, 
the girl who knows where ravens talk of fate 
wanders crowded marketplace at sunset 
to find the thing her heart desires the most 
but that secret treasure eludes her eyes. 

Deciding to save the money she earned 
for flowered cloth to sew new winter dress, 
the girl who knows where fairies craft our dreams 
whistles as she skips to her forest cave, 
but three boys grab her arms and kiss her cheeks, 
then beat her as she struggles to break free. 

Scratching their faces with sharp fingernails 
and screeching in rage at their cruel attack, 
the girl who knows where dragons writhe in faith 
chases them when they steal her money bag, 
but falls to her knees by star-sparkling stream 
and cries to the sky that life is unfair. 

Heart-broken at the loss of hard-earned cash, 
the girl who knows where God sleeps in dark cave, 
stares at the television glowing blue 
while watching some old show in black and white 
about the girl and her swift flying horse 
who defeat criminals to save the world.