Question- Provide stanza-wise explanation of the poem.

Answer -

'Hawk Roosting' is written as a dramatic monologue and is told from the point of view of a hawk. The hawk details all the things in nature that are available to him. He perches in the tall trees, sleeping and looking for his prey. He believes all that is around him exists for him and only him. He reveals in his predatory nature, fearing nothing and staking his claim on. everything. He sees himself as almost god-like; all that is around him is the way it is because he deems it to be that way.

'Hawk Roosting' consist of six stanza, each containing four lines. There is no set rhyme scheme to the poem and Hughes relies on free verse in order to convey his theme to the readers.

Let us take a look at the stanza-wise explanation of the poem.

Stanza 1 -  In the first stanza, the hawk seems to be deep in meditation. He does not feel threatened by anything in the wild and therefore, he can easily close his eyes and not worry about his surroundings. He is perched in a tree where he can easily look down on the forest he inhabits. Hughes uses interesting diction in this stanza in order to create imagery. In line four, the hawk tells the reader that he is able to perform the perfect kill even in his sleep.

Stanza 2 - In the second stanza, the hawk conveys to his reader how easy and convenient his life is. Everything in nature, it seems has been made for the sake of his pleasure and case. In line five, the hawk seems to be marveling at how much nature has given him, he is so emphatic that he even uses an exclamation point to convey his feelings. The trees are high for him, the air is buoyant, making it easy for him to glide, the sun's rays gives him warmth. He claims that all there aspects of nature make his life more convenient. Hughes also creates a parallel between up and down. All is below the hawk; the earth sits below him so that he can inspect it from his perch. This chichotomy reflects the superiority of the hawk.

Stanza 3 - In this stanza, the hawk is announcing his perfection to his readers. Again he draws attention to his sharp claws, locked into the tree limb as he perches. He explains that it took Creation probably capitalized here in order to represent God everything. He possessed in order to produce just one of the hawk's feet and each and every feather on his body. This stanza gives an image of a higher power hard at work; staving over how to create such a great and powerful being. Now the hawk proclaims, he, himself is God, more powerful than any being on both - Earth and in Heaven.

Stanza 4 - The hawk is essentially saying that he can do whatever he pleases. He can fly slowly through the air, taking in all of the rights beneath him. He can kill wherever he pleases because all of the world belongs to him. There is no need to lie or pretend otherwise because the hawk can prove his power by teasing off the heads of his victims:

The fourth stanza does not end neatly, again, Hughes carries the thoughts of the hawk into the fifth stanza.

Stanza 5 - The hawk is so god-like in this stanza that he says he chooses who lives and dies. The one flight he makes is the one he takes to kill his prey. There are no arguments necessary because he is all powerful.

Stanza 6 - The sixth and final stanza closes 'Hawk Roosting' in an absolute way. The hawk claims that the world has not changed since he was created. Since then, it has been perfect and permanent. He says it has not changed because he has not allowed it to do so.

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