Raven's Lament7 1/2" x 5 1/2"
Mixed Media
on Paper
2006
The myth of How The Raven Stole The Sun tells us that Raven once had beautiful white plumage that glowed with it's clean brilliance. When he stole the sun, however, he was burned very badly by the heat and became the black bird we know today.
I was thinking about how proud Raven must have been of his incandescent feathers, and how he must have despaired when he lost it to feathers of night and shadow. If he was burned so badly, he must have been in terrible pain as well, his body throbbing with red fire. Beyond the story, I found myself dwelling on the lessons the story gives me in life. His curiosity burned him, yes, but the Raven also performed an incredible task and brought light to the world. Sometimes, when a deed seems too daunting to finish, or the finishing of it exhausts us and the pain is so great we could cry, it is then when we grow the most. It's then that we become stronger and clearer, self-absorption slipping away.
In the midst of our lament, we are marked and made different, and it can be like life is brand new. The difference betwwen night and day; white and black. Raven's lament is balanced on the cusp of the old and new, it is the all important Moment.
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