by Kevin T McEneaney
I, who once sang of love and religion,
now sing the harpy eagle, a raptor
more powerful than all other eagles!
With their razor-sharp talons, they can lift
prey they seize equal to their body weight,
usually from six to even nine pounds!
In Brazil, they dine on spider monkeys,
sloths, Capuchin monkeys, squirrel monkeys.
howler monkeys, and the woolly monkey.
I was once a monk myself and fear them,
even though they only appear in dreams
when I have consumed too much food and drink.
Like me, they dine on chicken, lamb, and goat,
yet I’m not an expert at tearing throat!
