Spot Writers (poetry): All the Pretty Things by Val Muller

Welcome to the Spot Writers. This month’s theme is “All the pretty things.” This week’s piece comes to us from Val Muller, who is challenging herself to write one poem today in celebration of NaPoWriMo, or National Poetry Writing Month, a convergence of novel writing month and poetry month ? You can read the first week’s poems at https://wp.me/p2dkaY-17S . Today’s poem is from April 7:

All the Pretty Things

By Val Muller

I am a crow
Because you always thought
That’s what I would be

Ever since you read
That crows can symbolize
Mystery, Wisdom, or Death.

And so when I came for you,
You saw me
As a crow.

Remember in childhood
You left food for me:
Berries, grains, meat;

And in exchange
I brought you shiny things,
All the pretty things

I could find:
Bottle caps, lost earrings,
Shells, bright bits of string.

You wondered at the mystery
And treasured my gifts
In a box.

You grew and moved
But heard me calling,
Cawing, through all your years,

Knew I was there,
Waiting.
You photographed me,

Painted me,
Wrote of me,
Of all my pretty things:

Claw, feathers, eyes,
Beak, gaze, wisdom,
As you aged into autumn,

Thinking of life lived
And wisdom bought
With time.

And now I’ve come,
Reminding you, before we leave,
Of all your pretty things:

Of love, tears,
Successes, failures,
Family, solitude, travel,

Of treasured things locked
In the box of your soul
As we take to the sky
In search of pretty things.

The Spot Writers—Our Members:

Val Muller: https://valmuller.com/blog/

Catherine A. MacKenzie: https://writingwicket.wordpress.com/wicker-chitter/

Phil Yeats: https://alankemisterauthor.wordpress.com

Chiara De Giorgi: https://chiaradegiorgi.blogspot.ca/