Discovered When Walking. Poem by Miki Byrne

Discovered When Walking.


Leaf-mould dark as coffee grounds
Softened the clump of hiking boots.
Rendering almost silent the trek
Through ferns and gnarled roots.

A flash of scale and flick of tongue
Drew my eye toward the ground.
Where, responding to the vibrations
And earth chambered resonances,

A nest of wriggling baby Adders was found.
In a state of fear I recognised the
Distinctive, head-carried vee and
Using branches as my ladder

Struggled gamely up a tree to wait.
And watching them in silence, the
Snakes shining slippery beauty
was enthralling to see.

Then I chided myself for cowardice as time
Made clear that they had no interest
In me.