Amphisbaena

Amphisbaena 

She approached from behind
Argus-eyed on both ends
Stalking her early morning prey.
The Queen of arid lands
Amphisbaena by thy name
Amphisbaena by thy nature.

Her victim was an Ariel 
Do-eyed and fragile.
With an anguilliform  leap
She maneuvered her prey in her grip.

Socrates narrated her to his scholars
Homer sang her praises blindly to watchers-by
Amphisbaena was the dark seductress 
And some said she only ate ants
Therefore she was benign.
She was a muse to Tennyson and Shelley.

An enigma she remained for cryptozoologists
My  Amphisbaena is no innocent
Nor is she a victim.
Therefore she stalks her rare preys
Desperation sharpens her mind
Her nimble limbs hide under ocher soil
Her eyes are watchful.
She has offspring to feed
A babe Ariel fits the bill.
She jumps on her victim and wins the race.
Race for life. Race for her offspring. 
A mythological creature she is no more.
Amphisbaena is a mother for all.