Friday, September 6, 2019

Poetry Friday: Snakes in Eight Lines or Less

Laura's challenge this month was to write a poem comparing a snake to something fresh---in eight lines or less. Since I'm currently evacuated due to Hurricane Dorian, I could see no other choice but this:


Hurricane slithers  
the coast, rain-venomed
tongue lashing inlets
and bays. A ruddy-banded
snake, it neither uncoils 
nor shutters an eye, yet crawls
the map, striking land, 
swallowing towns.


                       ----Sara Lewis Holmes (all rights reserved) 


I can't wait to see how snakes inspired my poetry sisters!


Poetry Friday is hosted today by Poetry for Children



18 comments:

  1. Sarah, in light of the disaster named Hurricane Dorian, your snake slithers and lashes out in a creative way. Stay safe.

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    1. Thank you! I'm fine and enjoying Poetry Friday as a distraction!

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  2. A rain-venomed tongue is ...so horribly beautiful.

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    1. Weather is often horrible-beautiful.

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  3. Yep, you captured it. Rain-venomed tongue, ruddy-banded, still coiled. I hope it slithers off today.

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  4. OH SHIVERS, SARA!! This is so evocative and spot on....

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    1. Thanks, Liz. I actually admire snakes, but the shivery comparison was too good to pass up.

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  5. The creepiest part is:

    it neither uncoils
    nor shutters an eye

    I know they're taking care of you, but be safe...

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  6. Oh, my--so deliberate and venomous and dark. I love it! My favorite bit is that you use slither not just as a verb but as a transitive verb. Magic!

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    1. Thanks for the challenge, Laura....while I was pondering it earlier this week, I saw snakes everywhere---not real ones, but in tree roots striped in orange for safety on a running trail, and in bloated cylindrical tidal barriers floating by the shore, and even in my food. Thanks a lot. :)

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  7. Bam! what a poem. It's got a perfect example of voice. "Tongue lashing inlets" "rain venom"
    Can I use this with my students? I love it and so will they.

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    1. Of course, Linda! Let me know if I can help you in any way.

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  8. That 'swallowing towns' is a sad truth, but hope that snake slithered right by your home and area. What a sad week this was for so many.

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  9. Such an apt poem for the past few weeks. I hope we don't have a whole mess of such snakes crawling our coastlines.

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  10. I adore this poem. Each time I read it I think of the Bahamas and that last line just kills me.

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  11. Wow! This snake-hurricane comparison is vivid and powerful! Thanks for sharing your poem this Poetry Friday!

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