Gopher Snake

Nancy Hormel Reinert

The gopher snakes
out in our field
lying around

they like the feel of gravity
that keeps them there
hard on their bellies

oats growing overhead
for shade

until Dad mows the field
and hawks prowl:

a red-tail hawk folds
dives
for an instant his wings unfold
stall
impact closes the talons
around our snake

lifts him up .
to heaven

the snake drips down
swinging free
with no reality left,

he doesn't even realize he's flying
I suppose,
never gets the whole thing
in perspective.