Thursday, November 4, 2010

The Osprey by Steve Hagget

In foreign land of towering pines
And hammocks, mangrove-torn
A dark-filled night reluctantly
Bequeaths a pale dawn
-
Upon one battered cypress perched,
Amidst the morning haze,
Bright eyes stare out from part-cocked head
With piscicultural gaze.
-
Intently focussed on the brook,
That glides beneath the tree
Alive to every shadow’s sound
Yet never truly free.
-
For choicelessly these eyes are drawn,
As waters break below
And like a flash a head snaps back
And rippled muscles flow.
-
Within the slightest moment’s breath,
Two mighty wings released,
Two claws full-stretched, two legs reach out
The sinews, strained, unleashed.
The beaten air the only sound,
As time itself stands still
And, tracer-like, on charted course
The osprey meets its kill.
-
With consummate and practiced ease
The painless end begins
The single deadly blow is dealt
As sharpened claws sink in.
-
Then up away into the dawn
And time resumes its course
Two final beats – then disappeared
Is this magnetic force.
-
The cypress perch and well-filled brook
As silent witness stay
And as they settle – calm again
The sun declares the day.
-

12 comments:

Sylvia K said...

Breathtaking captures and the perfect words! Such a magnificent bird! Hope you have a great weekend!

Sylvia

Pearl Maple said...

love images of birds in flight and well chosen words to go with them

Mary Howell Cromer said...

Beautiful images!!! Just saw my first ever Osprey last month, did not get very good snaps though as was in car on Interstate when it crossed the road~

Trish ~ ♥ ~ said...

I love that the Osprey are on a come back, we have had many nests in our area. Such beauty.

sonia a. mascaro said...

Stunning photos!
I like the words too!

joo said...

The photos are stunning!
Have anice weekend:)

Sally in WA said...

I love watching the ospreys fly around our lake. Beautiful bird you've captured.

Randi said...

This is a beautiful bird and your photos are stunning!

Bill S. said...

I love ospreys, but they have all left our area for greener and fishier pastures. They will be back in the sping.

Love the post.

Joanne Olivieri said...

Magnificent shots with a blend of pure poetic eloquence.

Anonymous said...

what a superb piece of poetry combined with great images... this post needs promoting to a wider audience

Dave Halsmith said...

I agree... can we get this poem and the photos... the two of them together to a wider audience?