The unknown bird showed up like a magical vision
Perched just outside on your balcony railing
An otherworldly presence radiant multicolored
Completely unexpected in the big city
Reported earlier by someone walking in the nearby park
Where the elevated tracks ran through your neighborhood
And by an observer stepping outside on their lunch break
Who spotted it flying above a nearby intersection
This one bird migrating through Manhattan presented itself
Like a gift of joy given to someone with limited mobility
Providing you with a weightless moment of happiness
To lift you up above your earthbound condition
That is how I imagine your surprise and delight
Awed by the stunning beauty of your chance visitor
As I look at the photo you sent us asking
Can we identify the bird you saw
It's a male kestrel a miniature falcon
A species of concern even in favorable habitat
So special that you were able to see it
From your high rise vantage point
Once it has taken wing and vanished like a dream
What remains is the ancient sense of a kind of messenger
As if it came to you to communicate without words
Sending our thoughts and concerns your way
