Time Has a Centipede’s Fear of Clocks

                                                                         — César Vallejo

Lystrophis semicinctus, ringed hognose snake, falsa coral

Time is a snake 

run over streetside

drilled, scaled 

by beetles & flies.

The corpse coral red

inside black inside

cream, head to tail

a loop of road schooling

spasmed to mime

a Paleolithic blade.

I carry the kill

to gravel’s shoulder

lease more snake time

for carrion hawks

to raise snake bits 

aloft at noon’s breeze.

With time I string

snake ribs & spine 

to wear as a totem

of petro-vehicle mind.