Perched on the edge of something she knew but forgot she went hungry for love the worm escaped unseen. Now she seeks her lost direction above trees and rivers, salt and sand, gorge and peak. She flies north towards dark clouds pierced by a defiant sun.
I wrote this poem many years ago when I was going through one of the most difficult times in my life. For a long time I felt wildly alone, vulnerable, misunderstood and wronged. But I followed my gut, stuck to my values, held my head high, and just did the best I could. I know the truth of what happened and I am proud of my choices. Sometimes that has to be enough.
Today I scrolled through my computer files in search of a piece to share this Friday and came upon “White Crow.” Reading it again after all these years I remembered that the idea of a white crow came to me out of the blue. I wrote it down, like one writes a dream when you first wake up and don’t want to lose it. Then I filed it away without overthinking it.
Today, feeling curious, I asked ChatGPT what a white crow symbolizes.* Here’s what it told me:
A white crow is rich in symbolism, precisely because it’s such a rare and striking deviation from the norm.
1. Rarity & Exception
The most common symbolic meaning is that of an exception to the rule. The phrase “white crow” has been used philosophically (notably by William James) to mean something that disproves a universal generalization — e.g., “If you claim all crows are black, finding just one white crow proves you wrong.”
Symbolism: A white crow represents the unusual, the anomaly, or the truth that defies convention.
2. Outsider & Otherness
Because white crows stand out so starkly from their kin, they’re often seen as outsiders — different, perhaps misunderstood, but also unique.
Symbolism: Alienation, individuality, and being set apart, either by gift or by curse.
3. Purity in Darkness
Crows are often associated with darkness, mystery, or death. A white crow inverts that — suggesting light within shadow, or purity within the traditionally profane.
Symbolism: Hope, spiritual clarity, or hidden goodness in places we might not expect.
4. Mysticism & Transformation
In folklore and mythology, albino or white animals are often messengers from another world — omens, spirits, or shape-shifters. A white crow could represent a spiritual guide or a soul in transition.
Symbolism: Magic, liminality, the supernatural.
Poetic Summary
A white crow is the truth that won’t be silenced,
the exile that sees clearly,
the shadow’s secret light.
These descriptions by AI (the text above in italics) resonate for me and accurately describe how I felt and coped at the time, and how I still feel from time to time. Like an outsider/outlier/defiant/seeker/truth-teller. If this resonates for you too, then I send you love, healing, and good wishes in your journey. White crows don’t always fit in. Sometimes they say/do things that go against the grain. Sometimes no one believes in them. Just keep flying and do the best you can to be a good soul. Don’t be afraid of things that are different, just because they’re different. Be curious. Stay open to possibility. Be the white crow. Be the defiant sun.
Love this one. Applies to so many times and situations!