“SNAKE IN THE GRASS” Performed Da’OutLaw Written by Twelve 9/8/2026 written Da’ Outlaw [Intro — loose rein leather, low hoof pulse, one bent guitar note] [Bella stops.] SCRRRRAPE! Da’ Outlaw — spoken Easy, girl… What changed? [Bella SNORTS.] Outlaw Saint She ain’t looking at the road. Da’ Outlaw She looking at him. Verse 1 Met him where the trail pinched narrow One boot dusty, one boot clean Said his horse had thrown a shoe But both front plates still carried sheen Kept his palms where we could see ’em Kept his story short and sweet Bella carved one line beneath him Then refused another feet Saint looked back along the horses Every neck had turned his way I don’t name a man by instinct I let his habits have their say So I moved him past the firelight Far enough to think he’d won Bella kept one ear behind us She was counting every one Chorus Snake in the grass… Bella said WATCH HIM! Snake in the grass… Bella said WAIT! SCRAPE! Six reins tightened Nobody touched the gate Snake in the grass… Bella said WATCH HIM! Boots say stranger But your questions know our names Keep him talking Count the cracks between his answers Bella already marked the game [Compadres] WATCH HIM! [Bella] SCRAPE! [Compadres] SNAKE IN THE GRASS! Verse 2 He asked who rides beside the Outlaw Who sleeps closest to the tack Who takes first watch after midnight Who would double back Asked which Compadre holds a grudge Who forgives before they should Then he dropped Ugly Lie at supper Like that name was understood Saint stopped turning his tin cup MarieP quit tapping time Sir Spyder leaned against the saddle Sarah watched his eyes, not mine Bella lifted one black shoulder Pressed one hoof into the clay Nobody asked what she was saying We already knew the phrase Chorus Snake in the grass… Bella said WATCH HIM! Snake in the grass… Bella said WAIT! SCRAPE! Six reins tightened Nobody touched the gate Snake in the grass… Bella said WATCH HIM! Boots say stranger But your questions know our names Keep him talking Count the cracks between his answers Bella already marked the game Verse 3 Morning split the trail by cottonwood He pointed west without a pause Bella turned east before I moved her Map edge folded where she was Fresh wheel cut ran eastward Creek mud clung beneath his heel Yet he kept selling us the west road Like repetition made it real I passed him slow and tipped my hat Never reached across my side Said— “Funny thing about directions… Feet usually tell me what the mouth was trying to hide.” Bella snorted once. Saint smiled. That was enough. Bella Breakdown [Hoof pulse only] Da’ Outlaw What Bella say? Compadres / Crowd WATCH HIM! Da’ Outlaw What Bella say?! Crowd WATCH HIM! Outlaw Saint What we do? Crowd WAIT! [Bella] SCRAPE! Crowd BELLA SAID WATCH HIM! [Bella SNORT] Crowd BELLA SAID WAIT! Da’ Outlaw What crossed our trail?! Everybody SNAKE IN THE GRASS! Verse 4 Backstabber studies empty chairs Thief counts pockets, saddles, keys Ugly Lie repeats one sentence Till Confused believes it three Abuse checks who lowers their eyes Lady Temptation checks who looks twice Fear waits outside every doorway Hoping somebody names his price But Snake don’t need the center He survives along the seam Trades one campfire name for another Then disappears between Thought he came to measure Outlaw Thought he’d learned our weakest track Never noticed Bella measuring him From the moment he looked back Final Chorus Snake in the grass… Bella said WATCH HIM! Snake in the grass… Bella said WAIT! SCRAPE! Six reins tightened Nobody touched the gate Snake in the grass… Bella said WATCH HIM! Boots say stranger But your questions know our names Keep him talking Count the cracks between his answers Bella already marked the game [Bella] SCRAPE! [Everybody] SNAKE IN THE GRASS! Outro Da’ Outlaw — spoken Everybody else met a traveler. Bella met the part of him he hadn’t introduced yet. [Bella scrapes.] SCRRRRAPE. She don’t give me verdicts. She gives me reasons to look twice. And a man pretending to be your friend? Don’t chase him off too early. Sometimes you learn more watching where he keeps looking than asking where he came from. [Bella SNORT.] [Compadres — distant] WATCH HIM… SNAKE IN THE GRASS…
