Nest Of Vipers Poem by Ilari Rahja

'Twas early spring.
When I got out to smell.
Wood, flowers, amidst melting snow.
Last ice, early birds and all.

Saw cranes, sparrows and swans.
Arriving by group and flock.
With the mourning wind.
Warmth of sun, to end the winter-chill.

Darkness, of heart.
It often seeded and brought.
So I went, a walk.
Within the woods.

Alone, for a while.
I wanted.
To witness, taste.
Smell it all!

Gladly climbed, jumped.
Ran and frolicked about.
Arrived at an opening.
Clearing, in the woods...

Marked by sun.
Early melt.
Crowned with crystals.
Springs, of ice.

Thither, I wandered.
Jumped!
From tree-stump.
To another.

Until the midst of it.
I had reached.
There stood.
On a pointed rock.

Witnessed the first rays of spring.
New summer, of laugh and grin.
Then turned my eyes down.
Cast my gaze, upon the ground!

Horror came thence! ! !

It seeped into.
Withered, my heart.
For into a nest of vipers.
I had wondered!

Amidst, of an open field.
Filled with serpents.
Great and small.

Seething and wriggling.
Hissing in anger.
Of their first awakening.
After winter's sleep.

As they emerged.
From under every rock,
Stump and stone.
In hundreds - Thousands!

It seemed!

O' Terror!
I found.
Seized my heart.
Numbed, with fear.

Thy slither and poison.
Temper, my irritable friend.
I paralyzed, in dread.
Fear, of it...

After, what seemed an eternity.
I awoke and ran!
Flew, like the wind.
Spoke not.

For my screams had already left.
Breath abandoned.
Throat and chest.
Little while ago.

And I fled in fright.
Trepidation!
Each step, on the ground.
I threaded upon.

Every step.
Breath of wind.
Each bending weed.
Tangling at my clothes along the way.

All lent me their speed.

Mile, after another I flew.
Covered, in the nick-of-time.
To land on my yard.
Breathing and gasping!

Afraid to touch.
That accursed ground.
Until darkness came.
Took me within it's embrace.

As I came to, found it safe.
Surrounded by friends.
Fading consciousness.
Worried, concerned, abash...

What could I say?

So I explained the truth.
Of sunshine and a meadow.
Rocks, trees.
And a field, of snakes…

In which, I discovered myself.
Checked the maps.
Times, other signs to tell.
Within a flash.

Cleared, that fell.

Serpent's wintering-ground.
Where it sleeps, awakens.
Each spring - Woe to me! ! !
Nightmares, I earned.

Thus, several lifetimes.
Lasted with ease...