Green Snake, when I hung you round my neck
and stroked your cold, pulsing throat
as you hissed to me, glinting
arrowy gold scales, and I felt
the weight of you on my shoulders,
and the whispering silver of your dryness
sounded close at my ears —
Green Snake–I swore to my companions that certainly
you were harmless! But truly
I had no certainty, and no hope, only desiring
to hold you, for that joy,
which left
a long wake of pleasure, as the leaves moved
and you faded into the pattern
of grass and shadows, and I returned
smiling and haunted, to a dark morning.
(Denise Levertov)
More Poetry from Denise Levertov:
Denise Levertov Poems based on Topics: Joy & Excitement, Morning, Pleasure, Hope- A Map Of The Western Part Of The County Of Essex In England (Denise Levertov Poems)
- Clouds (Denise Levertov Poems)
- Goodbye To Tolerance (Denise Levertov Poems)
- A Time Past (Denise Levertov Poems)
- Caedmon (Denise Levertov Poems)
- February Evening In New York (Denise Levertov Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Joy & Excitement Poems, Hope Poems, Morning Poems, Pleasure PoemsBased on Keywords: pulsing, glinting, hissed, stroked, arrowy, desiring, dryness, snake-i