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Cobra
Bev Reeler
February 07, 2005

In our first 20 years in this house,
we shared the space with an extremely large cobra
who found her home in the rocks and dry stone walls and holes in the ground

She lived alongside our growing children and jack russels
a peaceful, powerful, hidden guardian
showing herself only once or twice a year.

James often heard her in the dark as he went to his outside room.

4 years ago she was killed on the lane at the back
nearly 3 meters of wonderful life
lying beaten on the road
Killed through someone's fear.

For the last 4 years I have felt the loss of this guardian of our space.

but last week we had a new arrival.......

She was on the lawn outside our veranda
rising above the ground with her hood spread
a dull grey coil as thick as a wrist
as long as the spread of my arms
announcing her presence.

A new cobra

A instinctive fear and awe
jolts each cell in our bodies
as we shuffle the dogs inside
and watch

She had killed a toad and a chameleon on the lawn
and hung around for an hour claiming her space

And then she was gone
down the slope
through the long grass
into the rocks.

We roam the garden with renewed respect
conscious of this other being
with a different power from ours
sharing our space.

The guardian is back
with a blessing that calls me to wakefulness as I walk the earth.

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