I’m teaching Julie poetry this year.  This was one of the poems we read today.  As we analyzed it, I began to love it more and more as I saw the spiritual parallels...

The Crow

Judith Kunst

Was it because

at last

I cleaned the window

that he threw himself

against the glass

I thought, poor crow—

he doesn’t know

the evergreens

and blue sky

are behind him.

I turned back

to my page

But whumpp—

the bird attacked

the glass again

His long claws

scuffled at the pain

and I yelled “Crow!

go away!”

Again his body slapped

the glass.

again,

and then again,

and then at last

he caught my eye—

oh, prophet,

terrified.

 

In this poem the clean window has created a reflection of the trees and sky.  We talked about how the crow was thinking he was flying to the trees and the blue sky, but it was actually the opposite way - he was only seeing the reflection of the real thing.  And we related that to someone who thinks they can find happiness outside of God -- how it’s just a reflection of the real thing (meaning trying to find happiness in the thing instead of understanding that true happiness is the Source of the thing).  And how unsaved people are like this crow, thinking they are headed for something that promises all kinds of good things, but in reality they are going in the wrong direction and end up banging against the window.  We also talked about how the speaker, since she cleaned the glass, is able to easily see out of it - and how that relates to our relationship with Christ, and us being able to "see", whereas those who do not know him, cannot clearly see they are headed for disaster.

But then at the end of the poem, the speaker realizes that this crow banging against the window actually parallels something in her own life (which at the onset of the thought -terrifies her as much as the poor crow who keeps banging into the window is terrified).  We related this to struggling with some sin -- how we just keep "running into the window" thinking, like the unbeliever, that the sin will bring us happiness.  And how we need to repent (turn and go the other way),  and fly towards what is True - and the only source of our true happiness.

Loved this poem!