St. Patrick in Prospect Park by Ben Nardolilli

After drinking, I look for snakes,
the one pest that’s lacking in New York City,
I’ve seen plenty of mice,
plenty of rats, wild cats, and birds
nesting where they don’t belong

I’ve seen squirrels who are vicious
and raccoons who are fairly tame,
though they’re still far away from pets,
on occasion there are dogs
who howl, no matter if they are collared or not

If I can find a snake,
it will be another unwelcome guest
for me to admire and take solace in, a survivor
amidst the cold of Brooklyn
and the vibrations of trains from Manhattan

Ben Nardolilli currently lives in New York City. His work has appeared in Perigee Magazine, Red Fez, Danse Macabre, The 22 Magazine, Quail Bell Magazine, Elimae, fwriction, Inwood Indiana, Pear Noir, The Minetta Review, and Yes Poetry. He blogs at mirrorsponge.blogspot.com and is looking to publish a novel.