Snakes are venomous

And non venomous

They are scaly, elongated

Reptiles inhabiting

Tropical and temperate areas

Of the world

- – -

Some view snakes as creepy creatures

That mainly live in wooded lands

Marshes, streams, and trees 

Where they often trap their prey

- – -

Most snakes avoid humans

Many crawl quickly away

When they encounter us

They’re however a few

That are poisonous

And if we’re bitten by them

It could be fatal

If there’s not emergency help

As soon as possible

- – -

Some pet stores sell snakes as pets

That some snake lovers enjoy

Then there’s the snake charmer 

That’s an entertainer

With the ability to charm

Venomous snakes

Through music

- – -

American Indians 

Do ceremonial snake dances

In which snakes

Or representations of them

Are handled for initiation purposes

- – - 

If you’re called a snake

In the grass

That means that you’re

Seen as an insidious enemy

A person that is cunning, crafty

And treacherous 

- – -

Yet the word snake has come

Into use in common parlance

Especially by plumbers 

When they use a plumber’s snake

For dislodging blocked pipes

By running a flexible

Metal rod that twists and turns

Through the curves of those pipes 

Image via Wikipedia

Image via Wikipedia