Njeri Hunjeri Poet Prose Poetry

Sometimes In the Dark I See Snakes

Must have been six when I encountered my first carnivorous reptile 
Walking up the up the hill with my brother I spotted what looked like a snake
I'd heard of snakes, from my mother's tales
I saw it, I wasn't sure whether it was a log or what..
Then I took off running as fast as I could
My brother said it was dead, lifeless
For a long time my brother loved retelling that story

My mother's tales, of walking cockerels wearing red high heels
Of long big snakes with their tongues vibrating and hissing
Of cats and how they see demons, hence "the black cats phobia" 
All these representing a face, an evil force, a witchcraft. ..

The many warnings: 
Never shake their hands
Never go to their house
Never eat their food
Never befriend their kids
Never talk to them
Never look at them
Never take their gifts 

I remember how one time we burned several sea shells
Because
"Sea shells have bad spirits and that's why they make that sound"
And this was done far from the house, in the presence of a pastor 

Sometimes in the dark, in fear, I see snakes
Either behind me when am walking in the dark especially in the house 
Or at the corner of my eye, I may see some figure
And sometimes when I sleep, I have scary dreams of snakes 
And as I have grown older, I've come to interpret these dreams as a sign that someone in my life is deceiving me, someone is trying to hurt me or someone is trying to take from me
So in those times when I have those dreams, I always pray
Being a Christian I understand there are forces out there, of dark and light 

Shindwe shetani

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