"Meadowlarks and Hawks" by Joseph Stroud

A farm road

in the San Joaquin

heading into the red dirt

of the gold country

miles and miles

of fencerows

with meadowlarks

singing on the wires

the song of one

entering the song

of another

all down the road

window open

I hear song

trailing

into song

the road continuing

as far as I can see

and every mile or so

on top

of a telephone pole

sits

a red-tailed hawk

shoulders hunched

turning his slow

iron gaze

over all he claims

of the singing world

"Meadowlarks and Hawks" by Joseph Stroud from Of This World. © Copper Canyon Press, 2009.