Diamondback

A little form of death

Seen in the lamp's gleam:

Back braced upright against the house wall,

Head erect and tongue a-quiver,

Dry whir of a studded tail

Against cement;

With glut of death in a 

Three times distended belly;

Diamond-backed and diamond-headed,

Envenomed,

With gleaming eyes that only thought

Of death.