Ruth Walters (London, U.K.)

She hissed, accused and riled me,
infuriatingly lied to me,
treated me like a fool
until at last she fell to silence
as I slid across the floor to her,
slithered up to the meaty, know it all
and as it is my nature to,
my mother did, my sisters too,
spat venom from my mighty jaws
as only fiery Cobras do
and now she talks no more.