Slithering snakes reached out once
to touch me,
and I reached back and stroked
the tops of their heads and I
was reckless, but not foolish
and when they bit
and they bit
I could stand the test of teeth-in-flesh

But slithering snakes recede, whether
pulled or on their own and
I am left to nurse my wound
and perhaps to suck the venom
so my fingers don’t just
fall off
and then maybe I’ll send snakes out
of my own
and recklessly
I’ll let them let you feel me