Shot Hawk

Tom Clayton was inspired to write this poem after he and his wife Mary Lou visited Vasquez Rocks County Park in Los Angeles County, California. Here a group of park rangers care for injured raptors and other birds. The photo below, taken by Mr. Clayton, is a Red-shouldered Hawk, who was shot by an unknown assailant and is now permanently disabled and flightless. This bird will spend the remainder of its life at the park, lovingly cared for by Ranger Debbie Goodwin and others. Mr. Clayton hopes that this poem may persuade gunners to aim elsewhere.

She talons the leathered arm,
and looks far beyond us.
Her eyes stare unblinking
to the infinite sky
which she lost except in her genes.

She may remember
the strong calm stretch
of wings unbroken,
riding thermals
smooth above the spirals,
her eyes in the turning searching head
seeing past our sight.

The gunner, young,
or grown but yet ungrown,
may have flinched
after the nanosecond
joy of bullet strike.

Now, the continuum of years,
seeping into conscience,
may flow heartward until pain's bludgeon,
hampered agility like a rusty hinge,
hopes shattered like the pinion,
and small bits of forced wisdom
dissolve arrogance,
and break the firing pin of gunlust.

Written by:
Tom Clayton | P.O. Box 202 | Bridgeport, CA 93517

Updated by Elke on September 8, 2005 10:13 PM