Monthly Archives: June 2012

Red Tail

a red tailed hawk hunts
ocean of air–feathering
oars before her kill

Downtown

woman walking past
avoids mingling thoughts with mine
shadows on white skirt

Journal Entry 6.5.12

I saw recently in a nature journal, a picture of the skull of a prehistoric, eight or nine year old child. The skull had been pierced by the mighty talons of a great eagle-like bird. It was the first fossil evidence that our ancestors had flying predators. It is likely the child did not even hear the bird approach.

Today, my country manufactures such predators. President Obama’s spokesman crowed today over killing Al Quaida’s number two man with a flying drone. No word on the “by catch” though, as it’s known in commercial fishing. The White House is mute on the number of innocents killed in such strikes.

As the prophet said, we have “corrupted our wisdom for the sake of our splendor.” The thousands of people marching in the streets of American and Canadian cities, who are never shown on commercial television, make the same point just as eloquently.

Greyhounds of Heaven

Trees appeared in groups and singly, revolving coolly and blandly, displaying the latest fashions. The blue dampness of a ravine. A memory of love, disguised as a meadow. Wispy clouds—the greyhounds of heaven.

–Vladimir Nabokov