The Snake

By William Matthews 1942–1997 William Matthews

A snake is the love of a thumb

and forefinger.

Other times, an arm

that has swallowed a bicep.

The air behind this one

is like a knot

in a child’s shoelace

come undone

while you were blinking.

It is bearing something away.

What? What time

does the next snake leave?

This one’s tail is ravelling

into its burrow—

a rosary returned to a purse.

The snake is the last time your spine

could go anywhere alone.

William Matthews, “The Snake” from Selected Poems and Translations, 1969-1991. Copyright © 1992 by William Matthews. Reprinted with the permission of Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved, www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com.

Source: Selected Poems and Translations 1969-1991 (1992)

Biography

William Matthews's poetry has earned him a reputation as a master of well-turned phrases, wise sayings, and rich metaphors. Much of Matthews's poetry explores the themes of life cycles, the passage of time, and the nature of human consciousness. In another type of poem, he focuses on his particular enthusiasms: jazz music, basketball, and his children. His early writing was free-form and epigrammatic. As his career has . . .

Continue reading this biography