Embrace of the Serpent

I was an ornithologist,

traveling through the cold jungles

of the Ngorongoro Crater.

Then I came across a giant serpent

who seduced me

with his warmest embrace.

He took a bite of my heart—

and I still don’t know

whether that left me incomplete

or made me whole.

I only knew

that I liked the danger.

“Yes, you may eat me.

Just let me stay

a little longer

in your embrace.”

Cheetah resting in the grass showing its distinctive spotted coat pattern.

Hippos cool off in blue water, showing their distinctive pink snouts.

Wild horses standing in tall grass during golden hour.

Distant elephant silhouetted against misty savanna landscape with yellow wildflowers in the foreground.

Dramatic silhouette of a bare tree with birds against stormy sky in African savanna.

Close-up portrait of a giraffe's head and neck against a blurred natural background.

Pride of male lions walking together through grassland savanna.

Lions prowl through tall grass on the African plains with mountains in the background.

A lone acacia tree stands silhouetted against misty hills and green valleys.

Dramatic clouds hover over sunlit plains and a winding river in an African landscape.

Wild animals graze on grassland plains beneath dramatic storm clouds and rainfall in the distance.

Scenic view of green hillside with grazing animals beneath towering mountain slopes.

Lush green mountainside overlooking a misty valley with dramatic storm clouds overhead.

Sweeping coastal vista with mountains and clouds reflecting on calm waters at sunset.

Lone animal silhouette against misty mountains and dramatic cloudy sky.

Giraffe walking across African savanna landscape with mountains and cloudy sky in background.

Rainbow arches over vast grasslands with distant mountains under stormy skies.

Panoramic view of a lake surrounded by lush green hills and cloudy mountain peaks.

A small group of African elephants huddle together in an intimate black and white photograph.

Herd of zebras grazing in African savanna under cloudy sky.

Close-up of an African elephant's wrinkled skin and textured hide.

Wildebeest and vultures gather on the vast African savanna under dramatic stormy skies.

Chapter 2: Page 2/3