Kingsnakes and Other Poems:

This selection of 70 poems emerged autochthonously over the past thirty years ofmy journey towards wholeness. I first encountered a California Kingsnake in thewild at the age of seven. This species of kingsnake is found in the San Franciscoand Mount Diablo areas, Santa Cruz Mountains, and East Bay hills, where I live andpractice in Montclair, Oakland. Kingsnakes are scientifically known as Lampropeltiscaliforniae. The title of my book Kingsnakes grew spontaneously out of psyche s selfexperiencesand soil influences: my Snake-Ground. I continued to dream and write poemsabout kingsnakes during my decades in analysis and analytic training. The Californiakingsnake is an ally: a benevolent Serpent-power in my soul. She speaks in these poems. The poems are offered as an invitation to go on a shamanic path with the author on yourown journey. I attempt through poetic rhythms, drumming, and visioning to open readersup to the Wisdom of the Feminine. The Snake-hero of the poems is resistant to poisoning. He learns how to metabolize negative experiences during difficult life transitions. Thekingsnake confronts death-dealing enemies and emerges unscathed from the battle. Itsresistance to venom?the kingsnake s natural immunity?mirrors the archetype of theshamanic initiate, as a poet who passes through a series of trials of strength and returnswith a medicine for the benefit of the community. Pacific rattlesnakes symbolize dangerby rattling their tails. The scientific name for Pacific rattlers is Crotalus. Kingsnakesdon t avoid rattlers they wrap around them, constrict them, and consume them whole. This corresponds to shadow work in its most visceral forms: subduing, digesting, andmetabolizing poisonous affects and transforming toxins into psychic antibodies. Thekingsnake s digestion of venomous prey becomes a living metaphor for the psyche sability to transmute evil through shamanic poetry and techniques of ecstasy.