stained a dark

purple, the parch of a

cast out hole--plastered

with scales.

a serpent stiff as a staff,

lither than the cookery of

of mid made noon, made

desert.

got drunk on poison spit.

wintered ethers that clapped

warmth out of its trance.

gliding down & up mountains,

while memorizing skies--dumb

to total blankness.

dark on course with purple,

purple on course with dark.

by default, there is no clever

line for a serpent.

where it is impelled to inhabit it

again.

as a shed skin.

& ex-pire.

though it does.