Love And Hate Are Vain

Love And Hate Are Vain
© Surazeus
2018 06 04

The hot sun gleams on field of ragged weeds
that swallow sorrow in waves of despair
where hopping birds peck at arrogant seeds
and the lithe cat reigns from the broken chair.

The boy racing his bike down empty street
pops high wheely over the sidewalk curb
and spins wheels across the field with the beat
of rubber tires that clacking stones perturb.

Slamming brakes and sliding sideways at death,
which sprays dirt and gravel at silent fear,
the boy drops his bike firm and pants for breath,
then grabs long stick to wield it like the spear.

Staring at the snake that rattles its tail,
the boy feels time spin from vast empty sky,
prepared to fight and hoping to prevail,
till all the hostile world becomes his eye.

Kicking loose gravel at face of the snake,
the boy lunges forward and swings the stick
to whack its head far from the shining lake,
satisfied he wins through deceptive trick.

Hissing in blind rage at sudden attack,
the snake curls its tail around his slim arm,
then arches head with sharp teeth to strike back,
but he clutches its neck to prevent harm.

Heart beating in horror of searing pain,
the boy grips tighter as the snake writhes wild,
then ponders how all love and hate are vain
while squeezing tight till the snake shivers dead.

Dropping the dead rattlesnake in the grass,
the boy stares at the infinite blue sky,
and thinks of what he learned in science class,
the process of learning by asking why.