Broken Wing

The hawk's broken wing symbolizes a loss of dignity and freedom. The hawk is a powerful bird that is able to soar and hunt, but the broken wing curtails his power and binds him to a life on the land. The wing is likened to a "banner in defeat" (2), forcing the bird to rely on "the lame feet of salvation" (7). The bird is yearning to escape from the physical prison of his body but is unable to do so. Death, and the mercy provided by the man, is the only outlet.

Sky

The sky is symbolic of complete freedom. The hawk waits for nighttime because it is able to dream of flying again. Each dawn, the hawk is disappointed to return to himself and be unable again to fly. The ability to fly allows the hawk the ability to survey the vast lands below him...