Southern Fried Weirdness | Southern Speculations

Swimming in Old Spring

By Eric T. Marin

Gotta be real careful
If you swim in Old Spring
Where the water moccasins coil
And sing in reptile harmonies.

Ought to swim with a sidestroke,
So you won't splash 'round too much
And breathe slow-deep and quiet
In rhythm with them snake songs.

If you listen real close while you swim
You'll hear the moccasins' hissin' words
Tellin' of vanished marshes and hot sun
When the world was full of cold-blooded kin.

Let your eyes glaze over and think snake thoughts
While you swim in the soothin' spring waters
And the moccasins'll come and wrap 'round you
Whisperin' all their snake secrets in your ears.

But if you visit the spring rough and loud
And crowd their wet dens and drown out their songs
Them moccasins are gonna get angry
And they'll swarm for you with death in their eyes.