John Marzluff and Tony Angell argue that humans and corvids co-evolved.
Relationships get lost, iced over and forgotten,
like the vegan bangers in the back of the freezer.
Once, we - by which, I mean humans -
Homo sapiens
sapiens -
had a relationship with Ravens,
Corvus corax.
We left them offal, hide and heavy pieces -
perhaps a pelvis,
still encrusted with gristle and gore.
Snow white, blood red, pitch black -
the Grimm palette of co-operative feasting.
In return, the raucous calls drew us -
bi-pedal, hide-covered, spear-carrying -
to a dying aurochs or a stranded yearling,
doe-eyed, lame and desperate,
awaiting the flinty calligraphy of paleolithic blades.
We inscribed symbiosis in bone.
Two species, ravenous for meat,
sharing hot life
after cold winter wanderings.
Today, my defrosted sausages -
plant based, industrially produced, supermarket bought -
the ding at the self-service check out -
are reserved for a small brown caddy.
Food waste only.
They'll feed the greedy maws of machines.
From a felled wood, the Raven caws.
This is perfect! I imagine John Marzluff and Tony Angell would love to see this poem 🖤