The Pact
He slithered toward a nearby bush
after the very first hello.
A man arrived
to rid the land of him
“But is he dangerous?” I asked
“No,” he said
“Then let him live” I pleaded
And so, a life was spared.
When you show up for them,
They show up for you.
That’s the pact.
Many moons later,
he returned.
not from a bush,
but from somewhere older.
Somewhere between breath and memory.
He moved ahead of me and I followed.
By the Nile we went.
I peer beneath the surface
water dragons
“kin of mine” he says.
I leapt in to swim
and realized
I was the one
who had been spared.
