Poems (Jordan)/The Slanderer

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4640283Poems — The SlandererRebecca Queen Jordan
THE SLANDERER
The serpent nesteth in his deeds;
It hisseth in his subtle voice;
His glance is that of gruesome greeds,
So like a snake's, when it employs
Stilled eyes to snare a child who feeds!

A stench exhales from ev'ry word,
From out his hate-enfevered thought;
And, as a serpent when 'tis stirred
Leaves sulph'rous trail its crawl hath wrought,
So he, on life-paths trod unheard!

Outwardly fair, yet naught can cloak
His inner nature poisonous;
Nor aught man's tolerance provoke
For one, whose whole self, venomous,
Is like a snake—coiled for a stroke!