The poem describes the Speaker as a hawk, quietly resting in the forest. The hawk is thinking about killing its prey and does not seem to shed any remorse or guilt at the violent thoughts plaguing its mind.
However, the animalistic and violent nature of the hawk is not something to be afraid of, but rather something to appreciate as it is a part of nature. The hawk is well in-tune with nature, as it “floats” in the air and “faces the sky.” Hughes describes the hawk as a fearsome creature that coasts “high into the sky”, thereby solidifying its role at the top of the ecosystem.
The hawk is described as a highly intelligent but dangerous creature, that can “polite[ly].. kill when and where I want.” It answers to no one and refuses to let any other creature take over its title as a key predator.
