Suburban jungle

Summer holidays, my cousin and I
swim near my aunt’s work in Wyoming;
a display pool, next to the Reptile Park.

It’s hot! We jump straight in; we play, we splash—
unsupervised.          But what’s that on the
water line? That something, long and black?

We get up close. Splash it, see if it
moves. It doesn’t. Looks a bit like a
snake, though, doubled up? Probably dead!

I know, let’s poke it! Snap a stick of bamboo
and poke—
                                It comes alive! Races off
up the pool and back doing its laps
body bent to a right-angle, head aloft
just like a cartoon cobra—which it was.