Character

The first man stood alone
on the barren field
and in the distance he saw
the locked gate beyond which
his greatest shame was kept.

He turned to the snake
who writhed on its belly
like a worm
and cursed it for its treachery.

"You tricked me," the man said
"you led my hand astray
and now we are damned for it."

The snake sighed.
"I gave you knowledge," it said
"and with that knowledge
you made the choice you made.
I could not make it for you."

The man cried out
"All the same, trusting you was
my greatest mistake."

"No," the snake said
"Your greatest mistake was
believing you had a choice at all."

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