The Sand Hill Review           http://www.sandhillreview.org               2003

 

Snake

 

Imagine yourself a snake.

Lie on the floor right where you are.

Take off your arms, even your shoulders.

Resign yourself to the permanent loss of opposable thumbs.

Fuse your legs together down to your feet.

Lose even your hips, and weave your extended torso

      across the floor, slithering,

      flagging your toeless tail

      in the same air

      where you extend your

      forking tongue.

Now write a poem.

Do not add legs.

 

Michael Dylan Welch