Hunting Snake by Judith Wright, Analysis, Summary & Themes
Experience the captivating encounter with a hunting snake as it slithers through the autumn landscape, leaving us breathless and in awe of its splendor.
Poem Text
Sun-warmed in this late season’s grace
under the autumn’s gentlest sky
we walked, and froze half-through a pace.
The great black snake went reeling by.
Head-down, tongue flickering on the trail
he quested through the parting grass;
sun glazed his curves of diamond scale,
and we lost breath to watch him pass.
What track he followed, what small food
fled living from his fierce intent,
we scarcely thought; still as we stood
our eyes went with him as he went.
Cold, dark and splendid he was gone
into the grass that hid his prey.
We took a deeper breath of day,
looked at each other, and went on.
Summary
• A group of people are observing a passing snake
• There is no interaction between the snake and the people
• Setting: daytime outdoor
Split into two parts according to emotion Part 1: First 2 stanzas (admiration/fas…