Poe's tales of macabre and mystery have always intrigued and delighted me. The Raven has always been one of my favourite narrative poems, with The Tell-Tale Heart being my favourite short story of all time.So with my natural curiosity, I was very intrigued when it came to ravens. I had never seen one, and didn't expect to see one until I ventured outside of the city. I couldn't even grasp the idea of how big they might be.
Then yesterday came.
It happened on the way to the supermarket, I went the usual back way to the supermarket just a block over. I prefer this way because I don't have to put up with the crowds near the sky train. I crossed the street and was making my way down the footpath when I saw, what I initially thought was just a large crow, flying down toward the railing on the bridge I was walking along. I didn't think much of it until it landed on the railing, and as I got a little bit closer, the only two things I could think of were a) it was going to eat me and b) to get the fuck away from it.
I kind of stopped and just stared at it, until I realised that I could still be within reach of its big jutting beak. It did look like a big hungry bitch.
Seriously, it was HUGE. Just imagine a small dog and then you'll have a good picture of how big this bird was (guys, think between the size of Kris and Toby, like half way between and thats how fucken big it was). I guess it didn't help that it had a big jutting head that kept pointing at me, as if picking me out as that nights meal.
Needless to say I am now scared to go that way to the supermarket, and every crow I have seen since then, has seemed very small and friendly.
This has left me with an ever deeper appreciation of that very poem by Poe. If I had that bird tap tap tapping on my door, I would be shit shit shitting in my pants.
For real.