Saint Patrick and the snakes

Hello, friends. Today is St. Patrick’s Day, a wonderful time to celebrate the return of spring green. The legend of Patrick driving snakes out of Ireland certainly makes him at least the patron of people afraid of snakes, and such mythmaking didn’t occur on his watch in any case, as there have never been snakes in Ireland.

Here by the Oconee River, snakes are likely to slither by on my daily walk, and their cool, calm observations of me are a good lesson to treat them with mutual regard.  In this poem I imagine sir snake is giving me his worthy advice to health and well-being, as well as keys to searching for the sacred — stay close to the earth, remain cool, and reduce stress. Good lessons at any age. I’m sure Patrick would agree as he hands me a shamrock. Best, Gene.

 

Black Snake and Cannabis

On my way to feed the birds,
I’m startled by a long black snake,
head lifted towards me.

Stay cool, not a danger, I tell myself.
“Hello, Sir Snake, be well today.”

On my return, he raises his head again:
“Stay low,” he says, “close to life-giving earth.
Go down with cannabis to heal the stress
of your heart problem.”

I’m stunned but not frightened
by the talking snake, whose history
reminds of Eden and constant slander
of serpents by theologians
who point us to higher goals.

Everyone knows by now that God
is up not down, that the sweet chariot
swings low to take us to heavenly heights,
not just to the mountain top to look
down on the promised land
of justice and freedom.

I’m transfixed by the vision and listen.
“Stay with the cannabis to lower worry.
Come see me under the tarp
over the firewood…you know…
where we met before. We’ll share
a CBD tea and discuss humility,
going deeper to touch the sacred.”