The Gentle Snake

Sylvester the Snake lived a long way away
In a land that was dusty and hot.
Most of the snakes were the dangerous kind
Sylvester was certainly not.
The other snakes thought he was silly because
When people came anywhere near,
He’d rather be stroked on his long scaly back
Than send them away, full of fear.
He loved to curl up in the heat of the day
For snakes like to lie in the sun.
He’d lazily catch all the flies he could see
By snapping them in with his tongue.
Whilst lying like this he was found by a man
Who picked him up on a forked stick.
And soon he was placed in a basket of cane
To help with a snake-charmer’s trick.
The man played a pipe and Sylvester rose up
With a sinuous wave of his head.
The people all clapped, and as snakes can’t smile,
Sylvester bowed proudly instead.
What a wonderful life for a snake who enjoyed
To have lots of people around.
He lived all his days with the snake charmer man
No happier snake could be found!

∼ Porter G., Hilda Offen, Pradera, Esme Eve, Alan Jesset, Richard Hooke