I looked up and there it was
among the green branches of the pitchpines-

thick bird,
a ruffle of fire trailing over the shoudlers and down the back-

color of copper, iron, bronze -
lighting up the dark branches of the pine.

What misery to be afraid of death,
What wretchedness, to believe only in what can be proven.

When I made a little sound
it look at me, then it looked past me.

Then it rose, the wings enormous and opulent,
and, as I said, wreathed in fire. - 'I Looked Up' by Mary Oliver