by Pavel Chichikov
There is an irremediable grief
Some know it in this life
Some know it at the point of death
I saw the great red hawk of death
Standing on a highway
Saying, who will come with me?
We'll move black stones to keep it in
A passage and a grave
And a deep dark place to put it in
There it will not fly but stretch its wings
From primary to primary
Blind wall to wall beneath a great green hill
It will not see or hear or know its prey
Underneath the grass
Or grip and take the dying hare away
But search and search with aimless eyes
Until it dies
And we will conquer death that way
But I have seen the solid earth erupt
The great round head and beak display
The shoulders and the pinions break away
And lift – you cannot conquer death
It is a raptor of unconquerable strength
God's slayer of all insolence
But if some love is with you when you die
Some particle you have received
No matter where, how little, or by whom
Throw it to the hawk and it will fly
Overhead
And you will never die
Visit Pavel's website at Grey Owl Press.
Note: Pavel will read selections of his poetry at Franciscan University (Steubenville, OH) on January 25, 2002. For more information contact Professor David Craig of the Department of English.
