National Poetry Month 2018
Raven by John Gibson
Raven lights a fire
before dawning of sunrise,
forewarning of death,calms darkness before released
hatred causes senseless grief.
Tanka: The Japanese tanka is a thirty-one-syllable poem, traditionally written in a single unbroken line. A form of waka, Japanese song or verse, tanka translates as “short song,” and is better known in its five-line, 5/7/5/7/7 syllable count form. From Poets.org
“The Irish goddess, Morrighan, had a number of different guises. In her aspect as bloodthirsty goddess of war, she was thought to be present on the battlefield in the form of a raven.” From Trees for Life, Mythology and Folklore.
Reflections on the Teche 
Ravens are fascinating creatures, aren’t they? Your first line really captures my imagination.