Black Watchdog Of The Sky

This is a poem about racism. It is said in mythology that a raven created the world but the world thus created by a black creature, turned against the colour black. White ruled the world till blach fought back for equality. Now Huginn (mind) and Muninn (memory), a pair of ravens fly over the world and carry news of atrocities back to Odin of Norse. They are the watchdogs of the world. 

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Born before man the earth was dark

And a raven flew over waters endless

Tired he flew in silent sinister darkness

Heavier now the bag hung to his neck.

A rock from inside the bag he removes

Dropped deep down into the ocean blue

Lo and behold the deep waters grew

For him to rest wings, land emerges.

Rock after rock he threw about around

Till continents grew and grew countries

Pine, teak, spruce from bag he scatters

Grasses, mango & all plants of the world

He flew again as now clears the darkness

Threw plant-animal on land and in water

Tiger, eagle, salmon, lizard, seal & deer

His heart sings in peace and happiness.

Glanced into his bag for any that remain  

He saw man sitting there lost & lonesome

Set down on rock this creation awesome

On the earth to live brought by the raven.

Days go by as man grew and conquered

Black a colour as dreaded as the raven

White a colour of angels of the heaven

Man now conquered by divisive hatred

Then one day the poor raven a swan saw

Swimming in rich waters of fertile lands

Glory he sought as to the water he rushes

To wash clean black colour till he was raw.

Crushed and bruised ostracized and hated

He never gave up the fight for equality

Till he and swan lived together happily

On fertile lands that he had once created.

Asking questions of the living and the dead

Huginn and Muninn now fly the day skies

No colour treated with dislike these days

(21st July, 2006, Nellore)

© Nalini Hebbar/openmind/2009 - all rights reserved

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