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Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Snakes in My Head - © 2010 Claudia Schlottman


I wish i were a reptile    a young snake
so I could   shed my skin by rubbing 
my nose against a rock    separating 
it at my lips     slithering out 
to reveal a more   hardwearing one    
growing and sliding under
rocks  through dark places   unnoticed      
sneaking into houses    scaring 
people inside.

Unbothered by cold   i would hibernate 
through it    &  in warm weather    bask 
in the sun    lay eggs or give live birth  
like boas & cobras & garter snakes 
birthing    a wriggling writhing mass of young 
to begin growing   molting   
becoming more rugged & craggy with 
the passing of each season.

Carnivorous   i would eat whatever 
i could catch    master   and swallow
rats & bugs & fiddler crabs & lizards 
insects & groundhogs & even small dogs.
I’d have    no heart    to break & no conscience 
or    sense of loss    i’d not think of my young  
nor remember their father. 

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