Hawk Medicine

Get to know your wings
 and how they work.
 Let your feathers fan out
 well beyond the half-moon
 of your sleeping body,
 Expanding
 across the unhurried breath
 of every living thing.
 This is your true measure and sweep.

Now note this magic:
 Sun warms earth,
 earth warms air,
 air rises up
 with you upon it.
 The updraft is always there for you.
 Catch it, winged one.

On that invisible spiral,
 chances come around
 again and again
 and again
 and again.

You have not fallen short
 or gone astray.
 Only ride the warm air up.
 I will lend you my eyes
 that you may see
 all that lies
 within your reach.

Photo by Martin Adams