hawk roosting

• this is a dramatic monologue giving the hawk authority over the poems ideas
• end stopping is used to give the poem a set decisive feel
• "i sit in the top of the wood, my eyes closed"


  the hawk is physically above everything else showing its power

  first person shows it is a dramatic monologue he is in complete control over the poem

  his eyes are closed shows he is in a meditating state, he is at peace as he does not have to fear anything
• "earth's face upwards for my inspection"


  hawk looks down on everything including God's ultimate creation, which looks up to him, this could potentially show power above God ?

  infection sounds sinister and tyranical.
• "it took the whole of creation to produce [me] now i hold creation in my foot "


  it took God's everything to create the hawk, now he holds the almighty being in his foot, shows his power over all of humanity

  could potentially support the communist ideas of a dictatorship in politics - one rules all
• "my manners are tearing off heads"


  oxymoron to shock the reader
• "no arguments assert my right"


  use of negative statements to show the hawk is rejecting societal rules
• "the sun is behind me "


  the sun works for the hawk, he has complete control on how the world works

  he is above everything and everyone
• "i am going to keep things like this "


  framing device (starting and ending the poem with I) reflects arrogance

  a sense of certainty, however it is ironic as the reader knows he cannot control everything

  end stopping gives a matter-of-fact tone nothing can change this