The Raven Falls

The Raven Falls
by Keaton Foster



Slowly down,
The raven falls.
Its wings broken,
Its bones weighted,
More than lift could defy.
Like a feather
Sinking in a river of stones,
Its descension is both beautiful
And abundantly terrifying.
There is an arrow
Within its chest,
Through its heart,
Expertly fired from afar.
There is no blood on the tip
Because death holds none.
Its eyes are open wide,
Seeing me as it falls,
Downward spiraling,
Just as I often find myself.
Across the valley it was hunted,
At my feet no doubt it will be.
The marksman will be gone,
Never to be known,
Never to be held to account.
It will become the end and I,
Getting acquainted in death,
As we always have in life.
I will hold it close,
Unafraid of what is next,
As we both silently go.
I won’t feel sorry for myself,
But for it there will be a sadness
I have spent my life trying to express.
With a thud,
There it is, the raven falls.
Wounded, it labors to an end
That we must both now face.
I pick it up and hold it close,
Pulling the arrow from its chest.
It makes no sound,
And neither do I.
I peer deeply into its eyes,
A slight reflection shows back,
And in that moment,
I come to realize
That it will all somehow be alright.
Its body inflates in agony,
And then, softly as the wind,
It expels its final breath.
Down upon the ground,
We now find our way,
Looking up at nothing,
Leaving behind something.
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.