The Serpent and Cleopatra

- By Matias Merrifield

 

The queen of Egypt, in despair

Summoned the cobra from its lair

“Octavian’s armies are at my door

I shall soon feel the legions’ claw”

The Naja answered: “if you are dead

In the afterlife, there is wine and bread”

The female pharaoh pondered and wondered

As tumult from battle boiled and thundered

Cleopatra agreed and said it was a deal

Soon two red spots were found at her heel