The Dirigible Balloon
Poetry for Children

Hognose Snake Reveals Her Inner Cobra

A Hillside Drama in Three Acts

ACT ONE
I puff my neck
and raise my head.
Stop! I warn
as you step near.
I hiss and coil,
pretend I’m tough--
Beneath my mask
I hide my fear.

ACT TWO
Treading near,
you call my bluff.
I writhe recoil
tremble q u a k e
I twist
and roll.
My tongue
hangs out.
You prod
and poke
a lifeless
snake.

ACT THREE
You’re not convinced?
You think I cheat?
You want to see
my act repeat?
I PUFF and rear.
I shake. I puke!
You scramble, flee--
your sad defeat.
I flip right-side
when you retreat.

All has ended
as I planned.
I taste the air
then slide away,
our story etched
in hillside sand.

About the Writer


Buffy Silverman

Buffy’s fascination with nature inspires much of her writing. Her recent book, On a Snow-Melting Day: Seeking Signs of Spring, received a star from Kirkus Reviews and is an NCTE 2021 Notable Poetry Book. A companion book, On a Gold-Blooming Day: Finding Fall Treasures, is an NCTE 2023 Notable Book in the Language Arts. She lives near a swampy lake in Michigan where she enjoys outdoor time with her dog, watching and photographing nature, and writing poetry.