Write: I watched...

There are several stories on how Raven turned black. In almost every culture, Raven started out as white but something, or someone, turned his feathers to darkness. In Greek mythology/religion, Raven worked for Apollo. Apollo was a very jealous god, so when he was away from his pregnant girlfriend, he sent a white raven to spy on her. When the Raven went and told Apollo that his girl was messing around with someone else, the god turned the bird’s feathers black for being the bearer of bad news. And then he burned up the girl, but saved the baby who became Asclepius, the ‘father of modern medicine.’

Apollo never told the Raven to prevent her from being with another man, the bird was just supposed to spy. Seems like he got the short end of the stick there.

Our writing exercise today is based on this story.

Write a piece with the words “I watched.”

Mine is after the jump...

I’ve watched the sun rise and the sun set. The light beading on the horizon, then spilling across the ground like a cup running over. Each drop of golden light seeping into the nooks and crannies, the hills and canyons. Filling the world with a warm glow. Then it flows away. Each ray clinging like a lover’s caress before grey and dark reclaim the land.

I’ve watched the moon through all its phases. The rocky surface twirling through the night sky as it waxes and wanes. Silver light cuts the night on a knife’s edge. Widening slowly, it illuminates midnight and calls out the untamed. The man looks down on children and fools with the same expression. Away again, the pock-marked satellite has to rest from the trip, leaving the world once again cast into darkness and sanity.

I’ve watched the stars dance and the clouds gather. I’ve watched the storms rage and men leave the surface. Green grass grows and leaves dance, cities rise and civilizations fall. I’ve watched it all.

But yet I remain.