Black creature – a riddle

Picture courtesy of: http://questionmark.guide/

 

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For the longest time in history

this creature was a mystery.

An animal, evil in its eyes

it was called death in disguise.

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Considered a witches confidant,

it was the bad women’s best friend.

Mystical and black as coal

it was considered carrier of a human soul.

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It was called dirty, and ‘devil’s slave’

often found on a newly dug grave.

It was attacked with slingshots and stones

caught and tortured to the bones.

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So many of them had to die

thinking about it makes me cry.

Still nowadays do people sneer

while they actually feel fear.

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In truth who would have thought

they all have a quite bright spot.

Intelligent and family bound

protective and smart they stand their ground.

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Proud and clever one can see

them in wolves’ and predators’ company.

 They always warn who’s ever there

of danger, darkness from in the air.

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They love to collect some sparkling things

having lairs with silver, gems and golden rings.

They’ve got commanders, lieutenants and even spies,

they comfort each other if one cries.

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For centuries they were called bad

it took a while until humans had

accepted that they are quite rife

and too insight into their life.

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Meanwhile it’s clear he’s bright and black

but doesn’t bring departed back.

He’s social, smart and never craven

Our big, dark, shiny, handsome raven.

*****

(Copyright, February 16, 2016, Aurora Jean Alexander)

 

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Picture courtesy of: By Alan Vernon – Flickr: Common Raven (Corvus corax), CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18301135