the red tailed hawk
pale-feathered phase
shot up
dived and swung out
above the highway
a living boomerang
in crazy flight
wheeling for joy
she might catch a rat
she might not
God, her parents, her friends
won’t know
they won’t keep score
she’s not keeping score
she won’t feel failure tomorrow
she won’t be afraid
she’ll be hungrier for the hunt
there are other rats to catch
other skies to pierce
every day a new day
for the pale crazy hawk