Sun
turning raindrops
on petals of pink cactus flower into
prisms
sending showers of multi-colored sparks
out over desert floor.
Last ribbons of flash flood
through arroyo
sparkling in late afternoon sun.
Eye of hawk
circling high above
catching all these details
far, far below him.
He glides
catching warm up drafts to carry him higher
and higher
away from the tangled world below
frantic world
struggling
dusty, dirty world.
Angry hate-filled world.
Demanding world.
Pure sky
blue heaven
free air.
If he could eat those
he would never go down again.

But he can’t
and though the sun is still visible
to him high in the sky
it has sunk beneath the edge of the world
and below the darkness is spreading across the land.
He continues to glide
ever lower
riding the cool down drafts now
circling, round, round
to the crag that is his take off and landing place.
He lands
gracefully
shrieks one last piercing cry
then
perched there
completely still
catching his breath
he begins to make the shift to earth-bound.
Gradually
in the long evening shadows
his wings grow thin and pale
talons soften
body shifting shape
feathers flowing into long, dark hair...
and he is man again.


© copyright 2001 Maggie Wilson