Poem, March 2012, previously unpublished:
Are Land and Sea Snakes Alike? by Martina Nicolls
Are land and sea snakes alike?
Almost, but not quite
Neither have legs
And both lay eggs.
Both are long like fat ropes
Both are like slippery soaps.
Sea snakes look more like ribbon
Actually, no, I’m not fibbing.
Both certainly have scales
But land snakes have skinny tails.
Sea snakes need tails to help them swim
Indeed they need a sort of fin.
That’s why they have a paddle tail
Flat but flexible to help them sail
Through the water, swish, swish, swish,
And pretend they are a type of fish
Which, of course, they are not
Now you know what is what.
The serpent lives in the sea, rivers, and on land – slithering on the ground or over tree limbs. It sheds its scaly skin as it grows. With forked tongue, it hisses as if to ask for silence. Venomous or not, it is best left alone, lest it strike. Yet, it is the medical symbol of healing.
ADVICE: It may be a time for you to prepare for a message – something is about to happen. Are you ready to shed your skin and grow from new experiences? Be careful though, for other people may be sneaky snakes – test the air or waters first. Stick out your tongue and taste the environment – is it safe for you to proceed? I think so. One of your new experiences may be to help others – to tap into your skills as a listener, a counsellor, or a healer.
“We must combine the toughness of the serpent with the softness of the dove, a tough mind and a tender heart.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
Serpent:
Snake
Reptile
Squamata order
Ectothermic
Limbless
Scaly
Sheds skin
Venomous and non-venomous
A range of habitats – land and water
Worldwide
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
REFERENCES: A combination of the following Oracle cards were used (with a dash of my own lifelong learning).
Archangel Animal Oracle Cards by Diana Cooper
L’Oracle du Peuple Animal by Arnaud Riou
Messages From Your Animal Spirit Guides by Steven Farmer
The Druid Animal Oracle Deck by Philip & Stephanie Carr-Gomm
The Spirit Animal Oracle by Colette Baron-Reid
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