Red-Tailed Hawk

And beyond that sacred orb of cerulean dream,
A sea of green, the zone of the blood-red shadow;

An apostle of the midnight calling gazed down
On a world in sorrow, it flew over the haunted

Towers where men looted billions, it levitated
Through the alleys where addicts live in chains,

It espied the sickly homeless girl weeping in
The rain; it hovered over hospitals where trainees

Learn to violate, it floated over Midtown where
Presstitutes spin their lies, it mourned upon

The sallows bathed in ashen skies; majestic wings
Indomitable, cascading were the hallowed stars,

Forged in realms unchartered, resurrection’s final
Hourglass; enthroned upon the clouds was that

Wraith of the azure firmament, a beating of
The ancient heart, so far from the groaning chasm.

Yet mired in woe and darkness were those who
Dwelled below, the dissolution of undrawn man,

Whose fetters are oft unseen – evanescing was
The oracle that vanished in the haze; all-knowing

The regal eye that spoke in cryptic tongues – prince
Of the boundless stars, lord of the blue dominion

David Penner’s articles on politics and health care have appeared in Dissident Voice, CounterPunch, Global Research, The Saker blog, OffGuardian and KevinMD; while his poetry can be found at Dissident Voice, Mad in America, and redtailedhawk.substack.com. Also a photographer, he is the author of three books of portraiture: Faces of The New Economy, Faces of Manhattan Island, and Manhattan Pairs. He can be reached at 321davidadam@gmail.com. Read other articles by David.