Green Snake, when I hung you round my neck br and stroked your cold, pulsing throat br as you hissed to me, glinting br arrowy gold scales, and I felt br the weight of you on my shoulders, br and the whispering silver of your dryness br sounded close at my ears -- br br br Green Snake--I swore to my companions that certainly br you were harmless! But truly br I had no certainty, and no hope, only desiring br to hold you, for that joy, br which left br a long wake of pleasure, as the leaves moved br and you faded into the pattern br of grass and shadows, and I returned br smiling and haunted, to a dark morning.