Feasted over by night,
a circle of feathers,
as tiara shining like abundance,
like an enhancement of adverbs,
sadly reframed, neatly in vain.
Starlit narrative how the hunter
prevails -- talons’ plunder;
beak and jaw settle debate.
No taint or taunt hinder
the goshawk. Prey perished
at the edge of red azalea bed --
confirmed vulnerable --
crowns the green fescue sea.
Black corvid, hinterland captain:
mastery without mercy,
brute with no malice.
Morning wing shadows
remains. Earmarked pinion
restates the argument, elegantly,
in a tier without veal or gristle,
lower than angel or jackal.
Savage hour’s velour
extols before coyote’s sing,
reverently.
Author Bio:
Sam Barbee's poems have appeared in Poetry South, The NC Literary Review, Crucible, Asheville Poetry Review, The Southern Poetry Anthology VII: North Carolina, Georgia Journal, Kakalak, and Pembroke Magazine, among others; plus on-line journals Vox Poetica, Sky Island Journal, Courtland Review and The Blue Hour.
His second poetry collection, That Rain We Needed (2016, Press 53), was a nominee for the Roanoke-Chowan Award as one of North Carolina’s best poetry collections of 2016. He was awarded an "Emerging Artist's Grant" from the Winston-Salem Arts Council to publish his first collection Changes of Venue (Mount Olive Press); has been a featured poet on the North Carolina Public Radio Station WFDD; received the 59th Poet Laureate Award from the North Carolina Poetry Society for his poem "The Blood Watch"; and is a Pushcart nominee.
a circle of feathers,
as tiara shining like abundance,
like an enhancement of adverbs,
sadly reframed, neatly in vain.
Starlit narrative how the hunter
prevails -- talons’ plunder;
beak and jaw settle debate.
No taint or taunt hinder
the goshawk. Prey perished
at the edge of red azalea bed --
confirmed vulnerable --
crowns the green fescue sea.
Black corvid, hinterland captain:
mastery without mercy,
brute with no malice.
Morning wing shadows
remains. Earmarked pinion
restates the argument, elegantly,
in a tier without veal or gristle,
lower than angel or jackal.
Savage hour’s velour
extols before coyote’s sing,
reverently.
Author Bio:
Sam Barbee's poems have appeared in Poetry South, The NC Literary Review, Crucible, Asheville Poetry Review, The Southern Poetry Anthology VII: North Carolina, Georgia Journal, Kakalak, and Pembroke Magazine, among others; plus on-line journals Vox Poetica, Sky Island Journal, Courtland Review and The Blue Hour.
His second poetry collection, That Rain We Needed (2016, Press 53), was a nominee for the Roanoke-Chowan Award as one of North Carolina’s best poetry collections of 2016. He was awarded an "Emerging Artist's Grant" from the Winston-Salem Arts Council to publish his first collection Changes of Venue (Mount Olive Press); has been a featured poet on the North Carolina Public Radio Station WFDD; received the 59th Poet Laureate Award from the North Carolina Poetry Society for his poem "The Blood Watch"; and is a Pushcart nominee.
RSS Feed