Bai Suzhen

Bai Suzhen 

Once upon a time
(your mother, hungry
father, ill)
you climbed
onto Leifeng's roof

The snake struck

You grabbed its white
face between your two paws
and gnawed its snout
until its eyes burst
its nostrils spewed
venom over your ears

You jammed a ficus stave
down its throat
brought it back to feed
your mother its savory brains
and to salve your father
with a poultice
of dry white scales