Raptor
by Jill McCabe Johnson
Today in a flutter of leaves
a sharp-shinned hawk balanced
with one leg tucked under
his freckle-feathered chest
on a fence post
at the edge of our garden.
To get a closer look
I crawled through the living
room and onto the porch
crept to the ledge
and quietly lifted my head.
The hawk turned
razor eyes toward mine
with a gaze that sliced
open wonder
and startled that other
wild bird flapping
against the fenced cage
of my chest.
“Raptor” was originally published in Page & Spine.
There’s one who lives near us, and she sometimes looks at me in the same way. Then she catches and eats one of the siskins, God’s little victims, which come to our feeders.
Better the siskin than me!
Wow. What an experience. And perfectly expressed. Thank you.
Beautiful. Thank you.
Jill, thank you for capturing your bird-soul, it’s beautiful!