Tactile Gemma

Serpentarium

Tactile Gemma


The wailing snakes in my serpentarium 
Where jeremiads drone in the walls 
Hum softly words in fear of punishment 
Swallow their words dreding mind readers 

Meander in toxic , hot pools 
Where cast-off zigzag skin floats 
which now sear their hides 
Stroke split tongues against each other 
Only to envenom one another 
Coil up in swarming bundles 
Only to strangle one another 
Crush and abandon their eggs 
Euthanasia for the unborn 

Serpent comforting serpent comforting serpent 
Caressing in virulence 

Adders dig their way throught sunburnt soil 
But rock walls stop them in every tunnel 
The harmless grass worms slip out throught tiny punctures 
And come back at night with tales of the world outside