James Landreth

After the Fall,

or Herpetology 101

James L. Littlefield

“Honey,” I asked her,

“Have you seen the snake?”

Suddenly awakened

out of slumber’s rest

she shrilly shrieked, then

jumping out of bed

furiously replied,

“I nearly died the

last time when I awoke

with that serpent

upon my shoulder.

I’d wish you were

more feared of snakes.

This only makes him bolder.”

To this I replied,

“Bubba merely wants

a place nearby

to thaw his bones

and keep from getting colder.”

“That’s fine for your damned snake”

she shrilly cried,

and then becoming louder

“As for me, don’t bother.”

With rising voice,

“You have no choice.

That serpent’s gone

or I’m going back to mother.”

She’s Eve. And so, I knew

that threat was hollow.

Yet, since the boys were

not yet grown, and who knew

what might follow,

I caught the snake and

threw him out to give her

a demonstration

of hell’s road now paved

with my good intention.

With Eve now calm,

the serpent gone,

we jumped back

into the sack

and

with some elation

resumed God’s given task

of humanity’s procreation.