The Snowy Owl

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Excitement along the beach,
a snowy owl,
rare here
so far from its Arctic home,
found perched on the church roof
but when seen
(it had been roused by crows)
was fixed like a white kite
among the green branches of a spruce tree,
perfectly visible from a distance
and up close, the details:
swivel-necked and gimlet-eyed,
mechanical as a toy clock,
a yearling with barred body,
white facedisk,
hook nose and a soft ruff of white feathers.
Almost immobile,
half-comatose in daylight—
the night's bloody work over,
the raptors scream muzzled,
the great wingspan
collapsed to its side,
as it sat watchful,
planning to survive
as species after species
fades away.