A Snake in the Garden

An emerald sweep

of thin spears stretches

through the garden,

past the rough concrete

platform decorated with chairs

of red banded with white,

along the little reservoir

of spitting water,

stopping by the short

stone wall, guarding the tall

green vines adorned with

cherry red bulbs,

yearning to be picked.

The spears bend

and squish beneath my soles

like I’m a big, lurking monster

marching over tall, pointy skyscrapers.

The little reservoir

of spitting water stands

still in the ground, 

my head peeking

over the edge, looking

into the clear blue water,

reflecting the color

of the cobalt blue

tiles on the surface.

A thin line stirs

in the water, 

a snake, 

with slick red

diamond-shaped scales 

and a thick, bold black line

drawn across its worm-like body. 

I look into its beady

black eyes,

feeling like I’m being swallowed

into a dark pit of fear,

it hisses at me

and jerks forward in the water.

A blue net dips

into the water,

scooping the enemy

into its safety

and sending it over

the fence 

with all my fears.

The snake’s body turns

and coils in the air,

just before falling

into the jungle

of dying bushes

beneath the hill.