Buddy, the Pomeranian dog, was dashing out the door at noon for a walk before he jumps the twin-engine plane on the 12:30 flight to return home to his master in Hoonah. We didn’t get around the corner from the property before a Raven fell from the sky directly in front of us, it’s body bounced a couple of times before landing in the street’s grassy ditch. I thought at first it was playing hide-and-seek with us because it must have picked up on Buddy being a playful dog. Yet when I approached the raven, I watched as he gasped his last breath, tongue protruding sharply and with a sudden seizure he froze.
Buddy did not approach him. I looked around for other ravens who may be flying about the high winds and downpour – no one in sight. I looked up and down the street; looked into other neighbor’s windows – no sign of life – not even the common sounds of the neighborhood ravens. A wet silence approached from the ground up. Not knowing what to do, I took out my camera.
He lies in front of my parent’s house on this freezing, wet, windy day. I’m not sure how to handle the passing of a raven. I think of a burial, but that doesn’t seem right since they naturally die in the wilderness without a coffin! I think of leaving him there for a week, and imagine plucking its feathers, imagining creating a Raven headdress, but what if another animal drags him away and mutilates him? Its body is still warm; I walk away with Buddy running up ahead full of bounce and life. He did not make it on the 12:30 flight to Hoonah.
This feels to be a reverent image you were privileged to witness. Before my eyes waits the resting place, painted the transitional colours of Nature’s season of sleep. The tell tale turn of the head and motionlessness tell me the raven is no longer earthbound….the Raven is free……
I was just wondering earlier this year; how come you never see any dead birds lying around? I mean, as many birds as there are, I never see any dead birds. That seems odd. I recognize that the bugs probably take them apart, but birds must die by the thousands on any given day, you would think that there would be more of them lying about.
your paintings are good i am doing i have about 25in the last 5 years ; did you know i am a painter too my claim to fame i really like your paintingd sorry no dough yet