sometimes
you have to press your thumb between
the cloves of the snakes head
like peeling an apple with a knife
sometimes
you have to hold its maw open on a hinge
so its teeth drip, honey golden
like apple cider vinegar
sometimes
you have to pierce the lid
collect the venom yourself
sometimes
in order to be cured
you have to face the thing that bit you
hold it by the neck
say please, say thank you
and put it back where you found it
but sometimes
rarely, if ever
but sometimes
you have to sever the beasts head
before it can bite you again.