The Orenda

We had the magic, the orenda, before the crows came. We'd never questioned this before their claws first grasped our branches and their beaks first pecked our earth.

Most of us will admit we were taken aback by how quickly the crows adapted. When you fall asleep laughing in the evening, its difficult to awake crying in the sun. But this isn't about sadness, or pity, or blame. We are all party to our own wants as well as to our own shortcomings.

From The Orenda by Joseph Boyden 2013. Published by Hamish Hamilton Canada.