Buzzards wheel through cold blue December
sky, bank and glide on arctic currents

circle leafless grey oaks searching
for new roadkill on the boulevard

below, swoop down to the grass verge
where Bermuda knits through Buffalo 

rip and tear the brown squirrel carcass

Nathanael O’Reilly is an Irish-Australian poet residing in Texas. His books include (Un)belonging, BLUE, Preparations for Departure, Distance and Symptoms of Homesickness. His poetry has appeared in publications from fourteen countries, including Antipodes, Anthropocene, Cordite, Headstuff, Mascara, Skylight 47 and Westerly.