Mountain Snake on a Walk to Awosting Lake

In the tall grass along the path’s edge

before the tangled branches

of the elm, the oak, the pine

shut out the light,

sideways and alerted,

raised a moment above the dry grass,

a profile so black

it startled into a shiny indigo

that blinded with stars

sparked from its darkness,

swaying and testing

the hot summer air,

it moved through tall to shorter grass

in waves, liquid beneath the sun,

and on the path glimpses

of a midline expanding round

of amber and gold geometry

patterned brilliantly, slowly sliding

on the warmed earth

and a natural ending

of a translucent gold cone

rising like a sun from its black

starry night.