APRIL 28
Esther Saanum
HAWK DOWN
In the upper right limit
of my view
a rapidly descending white blur
launches itself
before me on the lawn
the form of a bird
a large bird
with long strong legs
talons
a hooked beak
its beady left eye
scans the landscape
perfectly framed in the window before me
the sleek gray-blue head swivels back
its feet have something in their grip
its head lowers
the beak pecks viciously at the thing
raises the head
a long strip hangs from the beak
the bird pitches back its head and convulsively swallows
whatever that was
it’s clearly a hawk
the kneading resumes
something small and brown
each time the head is lowered
the wings are pinned closely back
along the length of the tail
for balance
desperately leafing through
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds Eastern Region
Sharp-shinned or Cooper’s
Its white-feathered pantaloons identify
Cooper’s
I turn back to the green grass
the wheat-colored rasping grasses
the sky above
nothing
Hawk gone
Esther Saanum, a native of the Eastern Townships, lives with her husband on a farm near North Hatley, which provided the inspiration for her haiku collection, Reading the Landscape (Yarrow, 2023).
All through the month of April, we’re sharing a poem a day, celebrating the vibrant voices of our local poets writing in English. This initiative is coordinated by Angela Leuck, publisher of Shoreline Press.
Join us as we explore the creativity and stories of our community, one poem at a time.