Hardly a sound in your world,
Only the repetitious "S".
In your coiled strength,
Your sliding motion and your suddenness,
The pure silk of your pink mouth,
The sloughing of a whole skin,
And that sparkling newness
As you stretch, easy in your new length,
Cool and supple as a stream's dance.
I hear no hiss as your tongue's black tips
Like a shivering nerve detect that strange warmth,
Nor hiss of triumph as you swallow whole your prey.
Hardly a sound in your world,
Only the echoing "S"
In  your bold stare belying
The true shyness of a snake
As you watch me from a safe distance.
The "S" contains your whole being
Which makes you more complete than me,
As I have no sound's shape.