Mary Buchinger

[Cooper’s Hawk]

Cooper’s Hawk stands in the sun 

  on a stout branch in the pine grove

     and barks

                     cak-cak-cak 

                he jabs his beak

                    into a nugget 

               of mouse jeweling 

                       his talon  

             cak-cak-cak

         urgent and bored

    he makes a show of his meal 

 then another Cooper’s Hawk flies in!

    lands  a few lengths away  on the same limb 

cries whaa!

                      speckled breast gleaming

      she sidles over

snags the deadmouse  

        holds it firm in her talons 

             pulls at its innards 

whaa! she shrieks to the golden sun 

      then pecks some more 

&

the first hawk opens his wings 

                 and mounts the second hawk 

   quick 

       as she works on the mouse—

that honey trap! 

talons sunk deep into the fur

beak strung w/ ruby ropes

Oh dreamy entrails! 

Back to Issue XIV…