Sun-warmed in this late season's grace
under the autumn's gentlest sky
we walked, and froze half-through a pace.
The great black snake went reeling by.
Head down, tongue flickering on the trail
he quested through the parting gra**,
sun glazed his curves of diamond scale
and we lost breath to see him pa**.
What track he followed, what small food
fled living from his fierce intent,
we scarcely thought; still as we stood
our eyes went with him as he went.
Cold, dark and splendid he was gone
into the gra** that hid his prey.
We took a deeper breath of day,
looked at each other, and went on.