‘Io [Buteo solitarius] is Hawaii’s
native hawk, classified “Near Threatened”
as is pueo, a subspecies of short-eared
owl [Asio flammeus sandwichensis],
silent white ghosts hunched on o‘hia
posts I barely see as I drive past
moments before dusk gutters out.
On the farm I’m raising a family
of Khaki ducks, nearly adolescent
& independent as possible imprinted
as they are on me. The young feast
on caterpillars, centipedes & ants,
slugs & worms, even snatch flies
& gnats from air. A large bird’s mere
shadow sends them quacking & fleeing.
Comes the day a hungry ‘io tries
to grab one. Ever foolish I race
to rescue my brood as if a cornered hawk
had no talons. Instinct or luck,
the raptor lets go its prey & escapes
down hill to perch on a dying koa.
That black head, that speckled white & black
breast waits for hours ready to attack
until the farmer raises the 22.
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