Snail-fare

by Katherine Gallagher

Hello, hello

I’m your friendly garden-

gastropod.

Not Matisse’s snail —

he’s a fast one, flying through space

on a rainbowed thread — a clever clever

slippery flippery

purple snail on a purple trail,

heading into green and orange and yellow…

You can’t miss him.

I’m the quiet type,

going places

at my own pace

under my hard hat

always on the lookout

for any big boot

coming my way

as I leave my silver

trail without fail

on green green places.

* Matisse’s snail hangs in the Tate Gallery, London.

• Submitted in response to Words+Pictures #5

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