The orange trail ascends Halfway Mountain. Yellow and brown elm leaves blanket the flanks of the path. As I say something to Mira, I jump with a start. Inches away, a black rat snake lies still.
A sight surpassed only by the timber rattler we encounter off the Pine Meadow trail.
rattling the woods suddenly so clear
Photo by Patrick Boucher
first published in Image Curve, June 24, 2020
for dVerse Poets’ Open Link Night #269
The pub is open! Come join us!
Share the love. Spread the haikai:
Categories: haikai, haiku community
It was so interesting… I didn’t catch that you were jumping for a harmless snake and saw the rattler later.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was my first live reading in nearly a year. I’m a little rusty! 😆
Thanks for hosting the Google Meet. It was great! I’d absolutely do it again!
LikeLike
Great… maybe you will host next time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I would be happy to, whenever you think it appropriate. Perhaps before another of our breaks? Makes a natural transition.
LikeLike
Yikes!! And double yikes!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reptilian bliss, exciting brevity. I agree that the “meet & greet” was a thunderous success, and will participate again. I never did figure out how to get all 19 guests on the screen.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Snakes can be unsettling at first glance! Very nice!
Good to see you on the web group. I had password issues that kept me from showing up.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! Snakes on the path. Rattler sounds dangerous. I like the format, so too the point of being rattled by snakes. We are lucky here that we do not have many poisonous ones. Only rare vipers but often get a harmless one in the house for some reason Still rattles me!
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Rattler” is an American colloquial term for rattlesnake, a poisonous viper with a “rattle” at the end of its tail. It will shake its tail to warn off potential predators and enemies; that shaking produces the rattling sound.
LikeLiked by 1 person
At least a warning!
LikeLike
I was hiking in old ruins in Arizona a few years back and encountered a rattlesnake. It’s a bit scary..yikes
LikeLiked by 1 person
Snakes that don’t rattle don’t scare me. Those that do, do. Two on one walk is more than enough!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was concentrating so hard on listening to your voice, I missed the point that there were two snakes – and one was a rattle snake – wow! We have so few snakes here in the British Isles, we forget they exist until we meet the only dangerous one, the adder. , Some years ago, I found one in our garden and just managed to call our old dog away before he could be bitten. I haven’t seen one since.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am not fond of such encounters…(k)
LikeLiked by 1 person
They are beautiful creatures aren’t they?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed! Although I’d just as soon not see the second in the wild! LOL!
Thank you! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Like most I think, I have not time for snakes; especially rattlers. Great post, but I glad you wrote about the encounter instead of me.
LikeLiked by 1 person