The crow sings of what was and shall be
The crow sings of fear and fright
Come! To my side, gather now children
Its fearful call shan't touch your blessed ears behind this wall
Come! Partake of your lessons. Imbibe of wisdom divine
Seek supernatural sanctuary within these sacred speakings

The ****** prowls, crowding at the door
(They call for sacrifice. Who? Is the Snake worthy?)
Come! Summer thunderstorm, mask the screams of the Snake
(Where is the Priest? Shall he not bear witness?)
A shriek punctures the eve as warm rain washes the blood of their hands

The vulture sings of what was and shall be
The vulture sings of hunger and madness
Come! Fall nay into despair, my innocent few
Bare not its beady eyed gaze but yet bury your sight in me
To the other side I'll gently lead, hand in hand
If only your humble servant I may be

The door shudders violently. The committee calls for blood
(His Word is empty. We are beset and the cycle begins anew.)
Come! Winter snowstorm, hide those tracks of the audacious few
(Where is the Priest? His hollow words won't save him)
A knife in the back. The door slams shut and stills.

He heard her before he saw her
When he saw her he turned into a meerkat.
Her high heels seeking his attention.
He drew the line at sniffing her when he realised she was not dangerous.
She may have turned into a cobra if he did.

Slithering snake skin over my arm
Will this creature cause me harm?
It tightens it's grip I stand dead still
I'm at it's disposal it's programmed to ****.
I gasp for breath it slides round my back.
I realise then that I have to attack.

I felt it
     twist around me
          tighter
               and
                    tighter
                         tears poured
                              blood slowed
                         and you stared
                    with that sly smile
               you do so well
     tighter
and
     tighter
          gasping for air
               your teeth bared
                    the snake ensnared
                         tighter
                    and
               tighter
     hands
limp
     heart
          stopped
                and you had the nerve
                     to look right into my lifeless eyes
                          and ask,
                               "is everything ok?"

Isolated in academics
To finish my final days
Honored with a chance to fly
To an Ancient World
For a journey unlike any other with friend
Of New and Old

We all gather to the skies
From points of two
Dependent on which part of the pan
We originated

Many seeing each other
In the flesh
For the first time
Immediately we become friends
Unified by simply excitement a nervousness
For something entirely new for all of us

We each gather for the skies
To wait six hours short of a day
To begin our journey
In the oldest of lands

Many of us resting
Some simply lying back
We talk among our members about our paths
Leading us to this point and where we hope it goes

We come closer to our destination
Excitement grows among tired minds
Our blood rushes through our veins for what is to come
As or passage in the sky suddenly changes and burns



To be extinguished by the salty cries of Ryūjin
And swallowed whole to gain passage to
a New World

She had wrestled with many a serpent that had wrapped its slinky body around hers, tightening its grip for death, squeezing every drop of life from her.   And each time escape had appeared to her by a slim chance, luck was there in the moment.   And there were wolves too, with voices oozing charm, dressed in style, in the woolly warmness of sheep, but hungry dogs, dribbling, waiting impatiently to devour a good meal.   She had run from them all, breathless, wide-eyed, heart pounding within the chase.

They wanted life....her life, desiring those beautiful things.   Needing to be full of all the good that was in her, to enable them to shine, as she did.

But things have changed, she scans the world with new eyes, in these untrustworthy days.   And now the living dead can only afford to hiss and growl in the darkness.   Not once will they get close enough, to lick the salt, and taste how delicious she is.   Not close enough, to hold on and wring her dry, not any more.

She sees them coming now, even before the day dawns.   She hears their mischievous desires, moan and rumble like distant thunder on a cool breeze.   It is always the same, as each one approaches; a cheesy grin, the freak in disguise, with its deep inhale of breath, ready to spin the hallucinogenic tale of their lives.

Their blatant nakedness wants to make her break out in a girlie giggle.   But she holds it in, stops it with a little finger against her lip.  Shines a sophisticated womanly smile, and asks quietly, "Who are you?"    Then turns her back, walks far away.   Never looking behind, not even a thought of it.  No fighting, no running.   And her heart remains quiet within.

Three words....and they are nothing.   Ignored, to complete disintegration.   Those mutants who prowl, to destroy her beautiful world.   Slain with a question they can never answer.   For even they do not know who they are.

Her light shines, just a little brighter.   Life goes on – life lives in her.

When you smile at me I see the tips of your fangs peeking out from behind your lips
Your words drip from your mouth in gobs of venom
And coat the minds of those around you
Keeping them numb and compliant
              Until it is time to strike....

But I have seen your fangs
I have felt the cold sting of their bite
And I know that no matter how sweet those words
They are still poison.

You can’t fool me, little ssssnake
For when you flash those fangs at me
I’ll flash mine back
*And there is more than one kind of predator in this jungle.