What Is The Old Hawk Thinking Poem by Patti Masterman

What is the old hawk thinking
As he circles round and round
Does he see our little shadows
Foreshortened, on the ground?

Is he glad to not be earthbound
And catch dinner on the sly
If he stopped to think at all then
Would he ever wonder why?

In his mind, is there an image
Of his mate, beside the stream
If he slept, with one eye open
Would he see her, in his dream?

Would he think her just as lovely
As the day that they first met
Would he mount her light brown feathers
For his appetite, to whet?

Would he stay beside her always
No matter drought or storm
And would always fly beside her;
Watch his children being born?

And on that day she left him,
Her body small and still-
Would he call his grief out loudly
And forego his evening meal?