SERPENT
you were shocked
to see a
front-fanged serpent
slither out of
my crib
those eyes burning with
ancient wisdom
how could you
be expected to make any
sense of this mythology?
you who never read
a single book
and so know nothing of
our human depth and mystery
and when I told you
to stand back, beware,
you did not listen
tried your luck in combat
with this gorgeous creature
whose camouflage not
less sumptuous than
his venom
who struck repeatedly with
his vicious poison
against which there
is no resistance
(at least none
from a poor excuse of
a man like you)
