An eagle held me gentle; spread-legged, tamed.
Held me tight. I didn’t feel any wrath,
more like excited calm. A viper came,
with smiling lips, and entered tunnel’s path.

I felt the curl of snake in my womb, felt
the delicate prick of teeth; then sucking,
slow and long. I felt an exchange, a veldt
of red – I felt I was dead. It struck me,

like a vision. I saw a bear appear,
just as snake shivered out; bear ate snake down,
and eagle lashed out -- at me -- licked my tear,
and dove into bear. At last I had found

a dream’s mission. Combined by fate; bear, snake
eagle and me have the world to awake!

Erin Elizabeth Kelly-Moen
© Copyright 8/16/04