The snake shed his skin
crawling through the grass.
He was traveling to see his next of kin,
with a little bit of sass.
There was a rattle in the rocks,
his relatives were around the bend.
Rattling is how he knocks,
as he slithers into their den.
When sleeping dogs arise
and look all around.
They can cut you down to size,
without a single sound.
I’ve decided not to tread,
too close to dogs asleep.
As I walked through tall grass,
I heard a rattle and a movement
winding through the grass.
I stood still as the danger
slithered by.
I had been warned.