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Natrix Water Snake By Ken
Shiovitz Black Snake blocks rural road, Suddenly squirted from fringe, Across path of plodding car, Flashes above compacted sand, then Disappears into dense foliage Surrounding nearby stream, Running clear and musical, Providing open view port Upon daily routine of minnow, Tiny Shiner startled from feeding, Posture faced into current, Maintaining exact distance from branch, Submerged long enough for algae, Trailing telltale strings along current, To provide hiding cover, except Natrix Water Snake awaits, Just on other side of slivery shadow, Perhaps by serendipity, More likely search image and patience, Instantly springs beneath branch, Emerging retracted with jaws jammed full, Body and tail of Shiner protruding, Then disappears into swollen lump, Just behind head of sated Natrix, Sending guilty shutter through witness, Who, too familiar with natural processes, Reminded of that moment years before, When four foot Massasauga Rattler
had slithered From bog to cross where they would hike, And the eternal instant before he could Expel a warning. |
