A Sparrow Hawk

Slips from your eye-corner – overtaking

Your first thought.

Through your mulling gaze over haphazard earth

The sun’s cooled carbon wing

Whets the eyebeam.

Those eyes in their helmet

Still wired direct

To the nuclear core – they alone

Laser the lark-shaped hole

In the lark’s song.

You find the fallen spurs, among soft ashes.

And maybe you find him

Materialised by twilight and dew

Still as a listener –

The warrior

Blue shoulder-cloak wrapped about him

Leaning, hunched,

Among the oaks of the harp.