I came upon a black rat snake yesterday,
And came to a sudden stop when I saw it in my way,
I was running on an overgrown trail, emerging from the woods,
The snake lay halfway across the trail, just ahead of where I now stood.
We looked at each other as if to say,
Who of us shall make the first move and go his (or her!) own way,
I was a little hesitant to pass in front of the snake for sure,
Visions of it darting forward, it would have been more than I could endure.
As the snake stayed still and flicked its black tongue in and out of its mouth,
I had to make some kind of move, of that there seemed be little doubt,
I tried to tap my foot against the ground to create some kind of a vibration,
And picked up a stick to encourage the snake to avoid a confrontation.
The snake quickly turned and effortlessly slithered away to places unseen,
It’s curves and black color distinct against the shades of the path so green,
I ran by where it had been, and went my merry way without further say,
I don’t know if the snake and I are destined to pass each other yet another day.
Splattered Brains 