my roommate's from nigeria
he tells me snakes are common creatures in the streets
that often grace the households of his land
unceremoniously at random times of day
or even night; he says
his people are aware
should vermin come into the house
curl into bed with man and spouse
a violation such as this is venerated
and respected are these beasts we'd find atrocious
in consequence of which they never bite
to love another who relates
to all one's whims and tastes, who pets one's peeves
and pleasantly ignores polluting waste
is truly effortless indeed
an even mightier task is finding common ground
between a bird and fish
prestige will come to those who act on love
in faces of blood-sucking pests
nit-picking every little thing
charging with splinters, lodging stings
clipping one's wings, tugging one's sleeves
slithering into one's sub-conscious
generating those pet peeves, setting one's pride on fire
yet still all these are park walks in comparison
to love for hard-core, ruthless serpents
that entwist along with butterflies
inside the pit of one's own stomach
