the small snake
i have named
uncoils from stone
slow and wingless
warm enough now to slide
across lawn
& spell motionless
a sparrow
dazzled in the net of that gaze
foolish enough to meet his eyes
for one heartbeat;
the glancing space
of one bright black eye
undone
by his own senses
in an exercise
of similar self-preservation
when i was 22
i promised
to never love
a poet, dazed senseless
where i thought
we were matched
in weapons
like most other things
a good defense
only works
when you pay attention
that bird & i
don’t stand a chance
of flying–
but because i see it
for what it is
& with kinder
motivation
than the whispering
of that garter snake,
i shatter the charm
with the casual toss
of a pebble
as for my trance–
don’t break it
i am having
too much fun
being caught up in it
Susan Daniels Poetry 
Entrancing magic
Uncoils relentlessly
On these charmed pages
David–thank you–
magic
is simply wanting
& letting yourself have
one small thing
the trick of it
is learning exactly when
to open your hands
to catch it
before it falls
& breaks
that one is getting its own post 😉
Love it!
Thanks, David. What a circle–my poem inspired your poem–your poem inspired this one 😉
Oh very good, that one reaches deep.
Paul, thank you. Made me smile as I wrote it.
Hmmm … a self observation !!!
Yes! One that I am having far too much fun to mess with much…
brilliant really loved this strong till the finish
Bruce–thank you–had fun with this one!
Enjoy…
😉
What a poet you are! 🙂
oh, thanks, Rhonda!
Exactly my thoughts. You are great, Susan!
Gosh, Celestine, thanks!
I echo Rhonda! Lovely poem. And please someone should request Freud to stop whispering into my ears on the christian and freudian symbolism of “snake”!
Oh, those whispers are probably right on target 😉
Glad you liked!