Python’s sheathing comes undone
leaving a rustling explosion of crust
dancing in the breeze beneath Willow’s
arching limbs.
Into its future, Python shimmers,
charmed by its own mending.
The snake’s waking hunger
side winds stories of fevered piercings
feared by all Small Things.
Teeth to tunnel,
unbearable and paralyzing.
Anguish feeds the serpent
as brittle boned rodents implode under pressure
sending their secrets seething into the belly of the beast.
Chipmunk Wizards chant about renewal and growth
while lining the den’s opening with Python’s shed skin.
Brenda Warren 2012
Visit The Sunday Whirl.
undercaws 
Very interesting piece…Seamlessly done…
crossbow
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Natural and mystical! A delightful read!
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It’s funny, small snakes give me the creeps – really big snakes – while not exactly something I want as pets – I find fascinating – and you have captured that fascination here and their odd beauty; maybe “odd” is not the word – more like “exotic” – very nice poem and good wordling brenda
http://thepoet-tree-house.blogspot.ca/2012/10/please-keep-your-seat-belt-fastened-at_8.html
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WOW! I loved this piece. Mainly because my resident snake just left me a whole skin in the wood pile this past week. I posted a verse about it on my short verse today (Oct 8)
While it is my wizard who lay low lurking…
http://julesgemsandstuff.blogspot.com/2012/10/sw-77-brief-look-back.html
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Wonderful piece!!!
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This is beautiful. You’ve captured the wonder and terror and other-ness of snakes. I love the images especially “Python shimmers charmed by its own mending.”
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EEK — I have this thing about snakes…and your title nearly sent ME slithering away…yet I read anyway. 😉 Very nicely-told tale!! I also loved the “teeth to tunnel” reference. 🙂
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This is amazing and captivating. I’ve read it twice, and love it.
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This is exciting. I particularly like the way you reversed the direction of the explosion!
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The chipmunks are very clever it seems, Brenda. Nice flow to this piece.
Pamela
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Just loved the ending of this poem! What a smart chipmunk!
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Hi Brenda,
It’s great to see the creativity in each poet. My favorite line:
“The snake’s waking hunger
side winds stories of fevered piercings”
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🙂 Love the ending. Surround ourselves with that that terrifies us.
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Love the Chipmunk Wizards and all the fun you had getting to them. For some weird reason this reminds me of an old Marty Robbins song in which the snake bitten victim is told by the snake, “You knew I was a snake, when you took me in.” Sorry about the tangent,
Elizabeth
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I always love a tangent, Elizabeth. Thanks for allowing it to bounce. 🙂 It was fun to write.
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Oh, my. This is gorgeous, Brenda. I especially love:
“leaving a rustling explosion of crust
dancing in the breeze”
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Thanks, De. We found a snakeskin while walking the dogs last week. The image stuck.
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Loved “teeth to tunnel.” Snakes are fascinating and terrifying at the same time, the creatures nightmares are made of! Nicely wordled, Brenda! HISSSSSSSSS!
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Thanks, Marianne. Snake stories….everyone has one. They rattle and hiss. They wind through our imaginings.
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Oooo…. sizzling read. Isn’t it amazing how they totally shed their skin too! I saw an image on Google of a Python swallowing a whole sheep. Yikes! Now in Florida they’re finding 20 foot rattle snakes and such.. double yikes. Bet those are happy Chipmunks though.
Really enjoyed this gripping and, very vivid read Brenda 🙂
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Thanks Bren. I’ve heard of pythons swallowing large critters. This one started as a simple snake, until I decided to capitalize the critters.
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Ohh, ohh. I want a Chipmunk Wizzard cycle!
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zoom zoom
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