The title waves the suffering flag. These hawks are hurt, and that's all we need to know. But what's really impressive here is how these wild animals, inflicted with a mortal injury, keep their spirit, maybe even revealing it all the more. Sure, this poem is about "Hurt Hawks" on a literal level, but they stand as examples to us, who might have lost track of our own wild spirits and the "intemperate and savage" God that can keep us strong through our own suffering.
Questions About Suffering
- Why do you think the speaker helps the hawk in the second stanza, but not the hawk in the first? Is there a difference in their suffering?
- Do you agree that pain and defeat is worse for the strong, like the hawk? Why or why not?
- How do the gory details of the first lines create the mood for this poem?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Euthanasia is an act of respect and mercy, so the speaker in the second stanza did right by the hawk.
Euthanasia is another example of humans acting like God. Bad move, speaker.