I like Max's poem better. Andrew
2009/10/14 Caleb Cluff <[log in to unmask]>
> Ah yes -
>
> The Brown Snake
>
> I walked to the green gum-tree
> Because the day was hot;
> A snake could be anywhere
> But that time I forgot.
>
> The Duckmaloi lazed through the valley
> In amber pools like tea
> From some old fossicker's billy,
> And I walked under the tree.
>
> Blue summer smoked on Bindo,
> It lapped me warm in its waves,
> And when that snake hissed up
> Under the shower of leaves
>
> Huge, high as my waist,
> Rearing with lightning's tongue,
> So brown with heat like the fallen
> Dry sticks it hid among,
>
> I thought the earth itself
> Under the green gum-tree,
> All in the sweet of summer
> Reached out to strike at me.
>
> Douglas Stewart
>
>
> On Wed, Oct 14, 2009 at 10:55 AM, Max Richards <[log in to unmask]
> >wrote:
>
> > Snake Snaps
> >
> > This is me watching the tail
> > of the snake poking out from
> > under our little front-garden hedge.
> >
> > Me phoning the Council who say
> > phone State Government Wildlife
> > who say phone the local snake-catcher.
> >
> > Me gripping the handle of my spade,
> > encouraging Jason the snake-catcher
> > please to come quickly.
> >
> > The snake quietly on the move
> > passing gracefully up the path
> > and under our wooden front step.
> >
> > Striking at the spade where I placed it
> > to direct it away from the house.
> > It turns, tongue still flickering,
> >
> > glides in full view, in the midday sun –
> > note the tiger-like golden stripes –
> > along the concrete-block garden wall.
> >
> > Finds a gap between blocks,
> > entering almost fully, turning
> > back to stare at me over its body.
> >
> > Quits our front garden to explore
> > our neighbours’ garden with its
> > many green hiding-places.
> >
> > This is the dense green ground-cover
> > under which it lurks invisible.
> > Now its tiny head peeks out.
> >
> > Here is Jason in his van, with his
> > gardening equipment and
> > his snake-catching gear and stout boots.
> >
> > He lays out the snake bag wide open,
> > prods where we point – there it goes.
> > Jason lunges, falls, cries out, gets up,
> >
> > lunges and engages
> > with both long-handled tools,
> > raises aloft his captured one,
> >
> > poses for photographs. Adult tiger,
> > almost a metre long, keen to defend itself.
> > Into the bag with it, tied with a red cord.
> >
> > Jason has been handling snakes since he was eight.
> > Now he’s licenced. He will release our snake
> > miles away, in the reserve by Mullum Mullum Creek.
> >
> > He expects to be called out for snakes
> > from October tenth each year.
> > (This was the ninth of October.)
> >
> > Maybe the morning's mowing of the park
> > had sent the snake over the road to our place.
> > Where there's water and frogs there are snakes.
> >
> > His fee is a hundred dollars for the visit,
> > ninety for the snake. My wife pays happily
> > and she has some good snaps. See?
> >
> > [sorry can't send her snaps]
> >
> > Max Richards
> > Doncaster, Victoria
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > This email was sent from Netspace Webmail: http://www.netspace.net.au
> >
>
--
Andrew
'Beyond City Limits', pub. ICLL @ ECU, available at topnotch indie bookshops
- list at http://hispirits.blogspot.com/
|