In Florida An Egret Ate A Snake

In Florida a great egret ate a snake

that yet disputed the meal,

had half its length coiled round the bill

as the front end looked at digestion.

The bird was bug-eyed, pissed off

at the obvious inconvenience.

His calendar hadn’t allowed for this.

It’s hard to say what the snake was thinking.

We couldn’t stay and watch all day,

had paddling to do, 

untold alligators to see

and green scum to row through.

Nevertheless, nothing else

made half as great an impression

as those two sides of a dinner party

not being enjoyed by either.