Man of War Bird

On Audubon's Octavo Plate 421

All the golden

of summer harvested

burnished you black.

Patient on cliff's edge

with toes outspread,

foot testing balance,

shoulders straining outward,

resembling crossbeam of kite -

then you spring.

Airborne your limbs unwind

pointing missile-like, directed.

Blue-rimmed red eyes stream,

but you're focused.

Air riffling droplets

from surface into mist

you near waves

then the plunge.

That's the point when Audobon

captured you.

With all the blown-up ego red

of your sex turned to purpose

the dive, the up-

bobbing recovery.

You ride the waves,

very much king of seas,

balanced like a Frigate,

all commerce within.

You work the deep

Man of War, work the feed.

And after all the long

flailing climb,

the tense,

blood-pounded

emotion of hunt

is rewarded.