Snake Woman

Snake Woman

Snake woman shedding her skin.

Snake woman sunning herself.

Snake woman greeting me in the barn.

Snake woman undulating through the grass.

Snake woman sliding along my windowsill.

I love snakes.

And spiders.

I was allowed both as pets when I was a child.

But not an armadillo, which I craved.

Snakes feel safe to me.

The ones with poison in their bite aren't really interested in spending their venom on a dinner that's too big to swallow — like me.

It takes time and many calories to make venom.

Snakes don't waste it.

The guides were alarmed when I went into the jungle barefoot.

"Snakes!" They exclaimed.

Same thing in the Australian bush.

"Snakes!" They growled.

There seems to be a belief that snakes prefer bare feet.

Not in my experience.

In fact, I feel safer barefoot.

I figure the snakes can smell me and go the other way.

Only freaked-out snakes bite humans.

They honestly prefer to avoid us.

And I know I am more aware of what's on the ground when I am barefoot.

Shod feet kick random things

Under which may be hiding biting snakes, stinging wasps, fire ants.

Ouch.

Bare feet are subtle and sensitive.

I can feel the movement of a snake approaching.

Stay still.

Observe.

Working in the garden one day, I saw a garter snake.

Then, in through the wire fence, a black snake squeezed.

Gulped up the garter snake.

Head first.

Tail wriggling until it disappeared.

I watched, enthralled.

The black snake, meal ingested, tried to exit through the fence.

Oops.

Too bulky now.

I opened the gate and shooed her out.

Knew she would find a safe place to digest her meal.

Teaching class another day, a snake slithered right into the middle of our circle.

Half the class leaned forward.

The other half jerked back.

"It's harmless," I reassured them.

Everyone relaxed, a bit.

Then another snake joined us.

Well, well, well.

Everyone tensed up again.

The snakes coiled around each other, a tangled knot.

Tail seeking tail.

Vent finding vent.

Genetic material passing, joining, creating future snakes.

Right there, in our circle.

Slowly, they parted.

He went right.

She went left.

We knew for a fact that we were gifted.

Gifted by the snakes.

It is in beauty.

It is a giveaway dance with the plants.

Every heart beats as one with the earth's heartbeat.

Green blessings surround us.

Gratitude

Joy