Snakes Alive Don’t Jive with Little Tykes Where Grandpas Thrive

Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem

Genesis 3:15

When he was still a toddler learning how

To get around, one day he tried to crawl

Down steps to grass.  He almost cried out, “Ciao!”

To life because most serpents still do crawl

And coming on the lawn a coral snake

Coral snake – Wikipedia

Was looking for its prey.  The granddad came

Along just then, along his way to make

A garden patch.  This then became a shame

For little toxic snake.  The granddad’s hoe

Chopped brilliant colors into wriggling bits

Before the toddler’s foot stepped down just low

Enough for fangs to make their venom slits.

  Snakes have their right to live and kill, of course,

    But granddad didn’t feel the least remorse.

© Phillip Whidden [the poet as toddler]