She spreads her wings,
Jumps into the air,
Ascending effortlessly.
In slow, thoughtful circles,
Scans the ground for
A furtive flash.
Light and free, and hollow-boned
Gliding on thermals
Above the vast, gray-brown prairie,
A sharp-eyed bird of prey,
Soaring unencumbered through the crystalline air.
She flexes sharp talons
