That afternoon was

Sunny and a little bit warm.

I was dawdling and doddering looking at green things

Pulling up weeds

Teasing the soil

When I saw something move between the stones

A garden snake, scaled black and yellow

Making s-curves.

He had a small flat head and an honest-to-god forked tongue.

The next day digging in the dirt it was

Cold out but I wasn’t chilly

Because the sun was shining and I was hard at work.

I saw my snake again

This time on the other side of the path

In different rocks.

It slithered away, wouldn’t look me in the face.

Now I find myself searching for the snake everywhere

Calling to it in sibilant whispers

I have decided

It will be one of my spirit animals

Joining the possum, skunk and chipmunk in that role.

I am allowed to have multiple spirit animals

So long as they are small.