Encountering Two Snakes: my latest @ImageCurve #haibun

snake rolled up by in moss by hiking trail

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!

Comments

17 responses to “Encountering Two Snakes: my latest @ImageCurve #haibun”

Björn Rudberg (brudberg)

June 25, 2020

It was so interesting… I didn’t catch that you were jumping for a harmless snake and saw the rattler later.

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1. Frank J. Tassone
  
  June 25, 2020
  
  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!
  
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  1. Björn Rudberg (brudberg)
    
    June 25, 2020
    
    Great… maybe you will host next time.
    
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  2. Frank J. Tassone
    
    June 25, 2020
    
    I would be happy to, whenever you think it appropriate. Perhaps before another of our breaks? Makes a natural transition.
    
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Misky

June 25, 2020

Yikes!! And double yikes!

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Glenn A. Buttkus

June 25, 2020

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.

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rothpoetry

June 25, 2020

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.

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navasolanature

June 25, 2020

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!

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1. Frank J. Tassone
  
  June 26, 2020
  
  “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.
  
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  1. navasolanature
    
    June 26, 2020
    
    At least a warning!
    
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Truedessa

June 25, 2020

I was hiking in old ruins in Arizona a few years back and encountered a rattlesnake. It’s a bit scary..yikes

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msjadeli

June 25, 2020

Snakes that don’t rattle don’t scare me. Those that do, do. Two on one walk is more than enough!

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kim881

June 26, 2020

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.

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memadtwo

June 26, 2020

I am not fond of such encounters…(k)

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Lona Gynt

July 17, 2020

They are beautiful creatures aren’t they?

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1. Frank J. Tassone
  
  July 18, 2020
  
  Indeed! Although I’d just as soon not see the second in the wild! LOL!
  
  Thank you! 🙂
  
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Geri Lawhon

July 28, 2020

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.

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