The river hunter is

Undeniably majestic

Swooping down and

Hitting the water with ballistic force

Often to rise empty-taloned

This time though

It catches a silvery fish

Glinting in its grip, in a dying sun

The first lap the osprey skims just above the water

As though the weight of the fish is too much

Then back and forth

Back and forth in high parabolic circles

Almost as though this were something other than

The dying fish’s first and last

Flight