Red falcon flutters inside my chest, frantic
with the elevation. Bloody, sometimes savage 
wings warp my ribs. Semi-healed fractures pulse, 
beak pokes, fights for freedom in high alpine air. 
This bird longs to soar above the snow-capped peaks, 
discard my tired body on the frigid slopes below.

Rufous-streaked merlin, swift mountain predator,
magician of the skies. I view the tumbling world
through his brown eyes, float up, dive down,
almost meet winged shadow on the ground.
Beat of pinions vibrates my heart into my body, 
frail human, slight weight on mammoth mountain.