“I stood again” “on the platform” “of the station” “where the snake
sleeps” “Stood near” “the snake herself,” “in the shadows there,”
“thinking” “I felt poised” “to be decisive” “be decisive in some way”
“But only knew” “the same decision:” “Get on the next train” “or not”

“The snake” “the sad snake” “opened bleary dark” “gold-ringed eyes—”
“crusty sticky” “around their edges” “Opened eyes” “& opened mouth”
(“I’d never seen her” “awake”) “Extended” “a black tongue” “& said in”
“a woman’s whisper:” “ ‘When I was” “the train,” “when I was” “the train,”

“flesh & blood” “flesh & blood” “took you to your” “destination”
“to your life” “to your life” “carried you through your life” “Flesh &
blood were” “your life” “Flesh & blood were” “your time” “A soul”
“was not so naked,” “so pained &” “denied” “abused &” “denied,”

“when I was” “the train...’ ” “ ‘You’re not big enough,’ ” “I said to her,”
“ ‘not big enough to” “be a train’ ” “She ignored me” “& repeated” “over”
“& over,” “ ‘When I was” “the train” “When I was” “the train” “When
I was” “the train...’ ” “until she” “finally” “fell asleep again”

back