Rudyard Kipling

«Brazilian Verses». 1927. 5. «Poison of Asps»

    A Brazilian Snake-Farm

"POISON of asps is under our lips"? 
  Why do you seek us, then? 
Breaking our knotted fellowships 
  With your noisy-footed men? 

Time and time over we let them go; 
  Hearing and slipping aside;
Until they followed and troubled us-so 
  We struck back, and they died. 

"Poison of asps is under our lips"? 
  Why do you wrench them apart?
To learn how the venom makes and drips 
  And works its way to the heart?

It is unjust that when we have done 
  All that a serpent should,
You gather our poisons, one by one, 
  And thin them out to your good. 

"Poison of asps is under our lips." 
  That is your answer? No! 
Because we hissed at Adam's eclipse 
  Is the reason you hate us so.