Raptor Winds

by Philip C. Kolin

a silky maltese
weighing less than
a pile of fall leaves
runs across

the gated yard,
the freedom of air before
the guile  of winds
in a late season storm

set in; the sky not
sure what color
it will  be
how it wants to be blue

but raptor winds pounce
on the hope of calm
and turn it  biting colors
circling, blowing  leaves

away, scattering them
in harrowing directions,
the yard overtaken
with blood-red and

fearful yellow,
the backdrop for
a red-tail hawk swooping
down to carry off the dog.