The Raven Falls

The Raven Falls
by Keaton Foster



Slowly down,
The raven falls—
Wings broken,
Bones weighted,
Defying lift’s frail pull.
A feather sinks
Through a river of stone,
Descent both beautiful
And stark with dread.

An arrow pierces
Its chest, its heart—
Fired true from afar,
Bloodless at the tip,
For death holds none.
Eyes wide, it sees me
In its spiraling fall,
A mirror to my own.

Hunted across the valley,
It lands at my feet.
The marksman fades,
Unseen, unjudged—
An end I’ll meet,
Bound in death
As we were in life.

I cradle it close,
Fearless of what comes,
Silent as we go.
No pity for myself—
For it, a sadness
I’ve long sought to name.

A thud—
The raven lands,
Wounded, laboring
Toward our shared close.
I lift it, pull the arrow free—
No sound from it,
Nor from me.

Its eyes hold mine,
A faint reflection glints—
In that gaze,
A calm unfolds:
It will be alright.
Its chest heaves once,
Then soft as wind,
Breath slips away.

Down we settle,
Gazing at nothing,
Leaving something behind—
The end.


Written by Keaton Foster Copyright © 2008-2024

Synopsis

This poem paints a vivid, haunting picture of a raven's fall, laden with symbolism and deep emotional resonance. The imagery of the raven, once a symbol of freedom and mystery, now broken and descending, reflects a profound sense of inevitability and acceptance of death. The arrow through its heart, fired with precision yet leaving no blood, suggests a death that is clinical, detached, and devoid of struggle—an inevitability that has already stripped life of its vitality.

The speaker's relationship with the raven is intimate and reflective, mirroring their own journey through life and death. The fall of the raven across the valley to the speaker’s feet symbolizes an inevitable convergence of their fates, suggesting a shared experience of suffering and release. The speaker's empathy for the raven, coupled with their own silent acceptance, underscores a profound connection between the two—a shared understanding of mortality.

The act of pulling the arrow from the raven’s chest and holding it close signifies a final act of compassion and solidarity. The reflection in the raven's eyes suggests a moment of self-realization, a brief but poignant understanding that amidst the agony and death, there is a semblance of peace and acceptance. The raven's final breath, paralleled by the speaker's silent contemplation, encapsulates the quiet, inevitable end that both must face.

The poem's conclusion, with both the raven and the speaker looking up at nothing, leaving behind something, evokes a sense of quiet resignation and a subtle hint of legacy—the idea that even in death, there is a trace left behind, a silent testament to the lives that once were.