The Man and The Snake

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The Man and The Snake

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Fused, in flight

he dove with haste into the sand pit. So little now to feel,

but hummingbird fear, crushed pebbles and bitter pride.

He danced in the yellowish crevice, swinging

religious aging arms;

as if invisible like the silent atmosphere

of stopped clock hands and snowflakes falling.

The cobra cocked its head. Suspended in the shadows,

its boneless beauty shone with lust.

He touched its tail first, then tongue; rolled

like thunder down its fleshy throat,

kicking his heels against

the interior shell of the snake being.

Breathless, he begged for poison,

or relief.  The snake hissed –

           Tonight, you return to the womb. Close your eyes

           your sanctuary is complete.

His eyelids folded over like petals in a frost.

He kissed the dream, then followed his fate

home.

 

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Copyright © 1991 by Allison Grayhurst

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Published in “Ygdrasil – A Journal of the Poetic Arts” July 2018

http://users.synapse.net/kgerken/

Click to access Y-1807.pdf

Ygdrasil, July 2018-1807

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Published in “Synchronized Chaos” May 2018

https://synchchaos.com/synchronized-chaos-june-2018/

http://synchchaos.com/poetry-from-allison-grayhurst-6/

 

 

Published in “New Mystics” July 2018

http://newmystics.com/lit/AllisonGrayhurst.html

http://www.newmystics.com/documents/AllisonGrayhurst-Poems5.pdf

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You can listen to the poem by clicking below:

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