A Murder of Crows

Winter Crow - Nora Reid

The past two weeks I've come home to hundreds of crows in the fields behind my house and in my oak and poplar trees, (oddly, not one has perched in my corkscrew willow). I have no idea what these visitations portend. I love crows, so I see their visit as a good sign. This past weekend I stood out on my deck and watched them fly overhead. I've learned a few calls, but corvids are far too intelligent to be fooled by my caws. This is the first year in memory that there have been so many. Did you know that crows have a longer lifespan than humans? Okay, the truth is that the longest living crow made it to 29.5 years, but, some legends and crow freaks believe crows sometimes live as long three centuries. Don't you like the legend better?

Crows signify change, and like the song says, "A change will do you good."

I found this etching by Glasgow artist Nora Reid surfing during lunch. To view more of Nora's art check out her website,
blog,exhibition The Royal Scottish Academy, or etsy shop.

If you're in the mood for a poem, check out Wallace Steven's Thirteen Ways ofLooking at a Blackbird.