LISTEN TO THE HISSING

Listening to the hissing
vipers, venomous and gravid
cytotoxic or necrotoxic
choose your poison
choose a snake from the sack

mambas walk like men intoxicated and pressed for time
upright but leaning severely and propelled by the battle with gravity
intent on a destination which can only be guessed at

transparent belly shot writhing with life
dangerous descendents deviating downstream
offspring spring forth in the spring and again in the fall
spreading the language, the code, the disease
the rites of conclusion and continuity

All medicines are poison and all poisons are medicine
it is just a matter of dosage
immune response is a remarkable thing
and the tests show an inconclusive string
but we have a new theory
You wouldn't understand it,
but we are sure its good stuff
You can trust us,
we are doctors and we have papers to prove it

Listen to the hissing
and look for an exit.

Scott Tuomala 2003