Black Raven Woman

Author's Note

Deep in the Superstitions
a haunted mesa slumbers
atop it—a bitter spring
where cool sweet water once flowed
there also stands
the Kiva between the worlds

Thru dusty desolate desert mists
she creeps—gliding thru shadows
powerful medicine dogging her footsteps
hollow and dark—nothing left to loose
both son and husband
slain by enemy arrows

Wedded to the one
who slew her beloveds
despising his kindness
meeting his gentleness, his compassion
with cold distance and distain
she remained a woman
joined only to darkness and pain

He was trapped by beauty
deep grief could never mar
he loved her—she hated him
while he dreamed of future and family
she dreamed only of vengeance and destruction

She sat often at the kiva
dreaming of her lost ones
praying for the restoration of her life
for reunion with those—now ghosts in her heart

Ancient voices whispering from the darkness
named the hated on as the key
thru him all she had lost could be restored
thru him she would be made whole again
she saw the way…

Slowly she softened to her enemy
a smile, a glance, a timid caress
warm embraces and lingering kisses
finally joining as one—a growing family
her conception—his greatest joy
he’d lay the world at her feet
everything was for her

For those blessed months
she never once went to the kiva
she seemed healed—whole
released from those deep sorrows
freed from that cold rage
The moment arrived—blessed?...joyous?
she disappeared…to where?
throughout the village they searched
sounding her name across the surrounding plain
she’d vanished…without a trace…as she’d never been?

Like an eclipse—a thought
darkened the young warrior’s mind
a shadow of growing dread
fear gave his feet wings
he flew towards the unholy mountain
praying…pleading

Nearing the top, he saw her
she stood at the edge of the kiva
holding their son—naked
still wet with the waters of birth
squirming above her head

She glanced back over her shoulder
her face a masque of malevolence
he screamed as she tossed his first born son
into the writhing depths

She danced aside with an insane cackle
as he dove into the shadows
in a futile attempt to save
the innocent as he plummeted into the infernal void

Transfixed—she waited staring into the darkness
in horror she watched as four faces appeared
ghostly images of two sons, two husbands—lost
her eyes opened to see that second chance
that gift she had so callously tossed aside
the faces of two warriors eyes full of sadness
mourning the fate she had sealed for herself

Forever now this woman
haunts the mesa
where bitter spring and tainted kiva lie
forever she gazes into the darkness
seeing those long dead faces
those taken and those thrown away
cursed to stand in testament
she is Black Raven Woman