When the Snake Sheds his Skin

 

When the snake sheds his skin

We climb back into our want

The safehouse of international intrigue

Our getaway driver loses his tail

Then loses his head

And we walk our shadows the rest of the way

Where they strip and make love to one another

Right in front of us.

 

When the snake sheds his skin

We make a narrow escape

And a wider appeal to our better nature

We count each other’s chromosomes

Then recount just to make sure

We didn’t miss one.

 

When the snake sheds his skin

We wear our heart on our sleeve

Which we roll up and dice twice before dawn

When a scarecrow wakes up from nightmare

A wooden sword severed his head

And the crows rejoiced until his next of kin took his place

In the morning light they both look the same

Our diced hearts roll all the same

showing double sevens

And we lose everything.

 

When the snake sheds his skin

We live in carnal ignorance

We know god asked Eve to know even though

He denied her Knowledge.

even though

Eve

 needed knowledge

 to conceive

 

When the snake sheds his skin

We shed our ignorance

and wear nothing instead

we two are outnumbered by One

and banished forever

and finally conceive.

And when the snake sheds his skin

the world begins.