Mean As A Snake

by Leslie Shalduha

That’s what I’ve been

For years and years

Folks have been

Intimidated

Scared

Fearful of the explosion

The sharp biting response or look

I was aware of that power I held

I was able to funnel it as needed

For spider monkey tasks

Arguing to right a wrong

For authoritative or assertive purposes

What I’ve realized now

Is I did not only funnel the power as needed

It leaked out way more often than I knew

Causing Intimidation and Fear

Of which people told me about

Of which I could even sometimes see

I see this now

I see it

Because I

FEEL NICE

I feel nice

A feeling I am totally unfamiliar with

A feeling I sure like

And with that feeling

Comes the awareness

That I’ve been mean as a snake

And now I lay that down

I am done

Tho I know I can call that energy up as needed

Cause sometimes you have to right a wrong

And being assertive is sometimes necessary

In a world where injustice abounds

Me

This tiny little gal

Has truly found kindness in her heart

So now I lay down the tools I’ve used

All these years

Tools born from

Who knows what trauma,

Who knows what need

To Be big

To Be strong

Guess what?

I ain’t mean no more