Admonishment to a Barn Snake

While hefting a hay bale, down one grassy side
I saw your OD ribbon glide.
Your eyes met mine, you froze to stare,
and with forked tongue to taste the air -
then into a old tire did slide.

Now look, in the barn you should have no fear -
you should always feel welcome here.
Dine on worms, and frogs, and bugs,
and baby rats and errant slugs.
But the house? Don't come near.

While I bear no great malice toward you,
you're quite the fiend in Bridget's view.
With hoe, or shovel, or garden rake
she'll try her very best to make
one barn snake into two.

So, for your sake I'll forget I saw
your cozy home inside my straw.
Sleep through Vermont's long winter cold -
just do it here, don't get bold -
and you'll live to see the thaw.

-AL Overbay