Cover of Shapes by Snakes by DragonHug ________________________________ A booming wooming A humming whirring Air rising tall The invisible pillar The gust-pushing circle Petals, wrappers, a dizzy moon-moth caught and released by this air-circus Above it a long banner ruffles and curls wrinkles and reads: SHAPES BY SNAKES! Next to the airy-stage! a long line of snakes! in brightly colored silks feathers and frills (feathers and frills) Some rehearsing others conversing All eager for their turn in the wind-ring! At the front of the line a small catapult waits In its bowl a snake in pink frilled gown A little muff at the neck and a happy head out Her tail coils the lever pa-clack! in she flings and the first show begins! The rising air catches her frills and silks flap and flutter She curls into a three Weaves herself to an eight Resolves to a circle that twirls into a spiral Fair-goers quietly watch She threads her own whirlwind She hovers still Everyone claps the line of snakes rattles She lands in the net beside the wind-ring Shapes by snakes! Shapes by snakes! Shapes by snakes! Shapes by snakes! (Next snake!) Next snake! (Next snake!) Next snake! A yellow pile of excitement in the catapult bowl It is a ribbon snake pa-clack! The yellow bundle unfurls Long strokes! Up! Down! Whip left! Slash right! Zig! Zag! Top right! Down left! A flowing tangle A moving mess Loop back... All over... A heart, two hearts, three hearts, a yellow clover! Claps and rattles! One last scribble into the net! Shapes by snakes! Shapes by snakes! (Next snake!) Next snake! (Next snake!) Next snake! Pa-clack! Blue snake flies! Pa-clack! Red snake joins! Pa-clack! Green snake too! Blue chase Red! Red chase Green! Green chase Blue! Fly fly fly! Round and round! They straighten... three long lines... TRIANGLE! Shapes by snakes! Three heads meet, center lock... PROPELLER! Spin spin spin! Fast fast fast! Lose control... Plop! Plap! Plepp! Caught by net! Shapes by snakes! Shapes by snakes! Shapes by snakes! Shapes by snakes! Next in line... and longer than the line... The biggest snake of all: Big-big Boa! Thicker than a tree The catapult becomes a toy His tongue slurps Little creatures play and paint on him Big-big Boa is happy! Beetles strap the third harness, the last one All three, wider than swings, the beetles pant Six ropes run up to the crane above Two beavers work the levers A dragon stands ready by the great crank wheel Everyone makes room! The crank wheel turns! The ropes tighten! The crane creaks! The three harnesses rise slowly! And Big-big Boa, is flying! His tongue slurps faster! The crane swings him over the wind-ring! The rising air blows his belly clean... The first half of him, at least! He looks from up high, sees much further than before! He slurps the smells, many more than before! He hears his friends below, tinier than before! Big-big Boa is happy, even happier than before! Shapes by snakes! Shapes by snakes! Shapes by snakes! Twirling! Zigging! Zagging! Triangle! Propeller! Slurping wind-ring! Shapes by snakes! Shapes by snakes! Shapes by snakes! Big-big Boa is lowered down... cleaner than before... Snakes and other creatures continue playing in the wind-ring at Fluffelhug Fair... (Dragon Hug)
