Poems

Rise of the Crow

A poem by Michele "Mickey" Hetherington, NSW.

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Her smile is lost and laughter fades,
her soul is growing weak,

Violence is not something that
in our hearts we seek.

Silenced were the words
our people could not speak.

Let us rise against our demons,
let go the pain and sorrow

The past is not our future -
Our future is tomorrow.

Mickey explains why she chose the title 'Rise of the Crow' for her poem about domestic violence and Aboriginal women:

"The Crow is a totem, a beautiful intelligent raven, a magical bird that some people say warns of death, some say they bring messages from spirits, some fear them.

"My grandmother always told me that I was protected when the crows were above and around me. Though if one crow is sitting on the roof of the house, or on the road in front, or at the edge of the water, it is a warning, don’t go in, or be careful. "If we ignore the warnings time and again the crow will no longer sit on the roof, or on the fence, he will fly off, rise high in the sky. He won’t be there next time to warn you, he will return to rise your soul and carry it to the other side."

Homework

  • What do you think need women the most when they experience domestic violence?
  • Which role can the crow play for these women?
  • Research domestic violence statistics for Aboriginal people and compare them with those for non-Aboriginal people.
  • Can men suffer from domestic violence as well? If so, how could that look like?

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Cite this page

Korff, J 2020, Rise of the Crow, <https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/arts/poems/rise-of-the-crow>, retrieved 5 October 2024

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