New Poetry by John Tustin

This Hawk

There is this hawk

That careens along the currents

With the sea foam in his eye

And the mountain peak

Churning in his gut.

There is this hawk

Who snatches prey in midair –

His talons

Are the tomahawk chop

Of a shirtless brave bending

On horseback.

There is this hawk

Whose wings are flawless feathers

Of steel and bones

And you watch his silhouette

Getting smaller

Against the setting sun

As he flies far

Far

Far from you,

His final shriek

Piercing the ears

And the heart

With the battle cry

Of retreat.

- © John Tustin 2022

John Tustin’s poetry has appeared in many disparate literary journals since 2009. fritzware.com/johntustinpoetry contains links to his published poetry online.