`Joy upon joy and gain upon gain
Are the destined rights of my birth,
And I shout the praise of my endless days
To the echoing edge of the earth.
Though I suffer all deaths that a man can die
To the uttermost end of time,
I have deep-drained this, my cup of bliss,
In every age and clime—
The froth of Pride, the tang of Power,
The sweet of Womanhood!
I drain the lees upon my knees,
For oh, the draught is good;
I drink to Life, I drink to Death,
And smack my lips with song,
For when I die, another `I’ shall pass the cup along.
`The man you drove from Eden’s grove
Was I, my Lord, was I,
And I shall be there when the earth and the air
Are rent from sea to sky;
For it is my world, my gorgeous world,
The world of my dearest woes,
From the first faint cry of the newborn
To the rack of the woman’s throes.
`Packed with the pulse of an unborn race,
Torn with a world’s desire,
The surging flood of my wild young blood
Would quench the judgment fire.
I am Man, Man, Man, from the tingling flesh
To the dust of my earthly goal,
From the nestling gloom of the pregnant womb
To the sheen of my naked soul.
Bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh
The whole world leaps to my will,
And the unslaked thirst of an Eden cursed
Shall harrow the earth for its fill.
Almighty God, when I drain life’s glass
Of all its rainbow gleams,
The hapless plight of eternal night
Shall be none too long for my dreams.
`The man you drove from Eden’s grove
Was I, my Lord, was I,
And I shall be there when the earth and the air
Are rent from sea to sky;
For it is my world, my gorgeous world,
The world of my dear delight,
From the brightest gleam of the Arctic stream
To the dusk of my own love-night.’ Jack London
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Depth and charisma make the Snake a formidable presence. What you see is not what you get. The Snake's many interests and insatiable thirst for knowledge result in an increasingly complex persona. Furthermore, with the Snake's penchant for secrecy, they're not likely to let us see how much is there is to know about them. More than any other sign, the Snake knows how to present itself, when it wants, in the most favorable light. The downside of this is that the Snake is likely to tire of and discard us lesser mortals. An even bigger danger is the Snake believes in revenge; so, don't cross them. Like the Dragon, the Snake is a karmic sign and likely to experience lots of extreme highs and lows in their lives.
Positive Traits:
Alert, calm, charismatic, cultivated, curious, decisive, intuitive, refined, reflective, soft spoken, tenacious, and wise.
The Snake's many interests and insatiable thirst for knowledge result in an increasingly complex persona. The Snake is a karmic sign, which means they will probably experience many high highs and low lows in their lives. With their wisdom and charisma, which has an almost magical quality, they probably command our respect more than any other sign. Like the Rat and Monkey, Snakes spend a lot of time in their heads, but they are not worriers. Rather, they pass their quiet time in reflection and contemplation. This, together with their love of learning, is what gives them such great depth. Of all the signs of the Chinese zodiac, the Snake is most closely associated with wisdom.
Although the Snake is more than willing to share their knowledge, they have a penchant for secrecy when it comes to their personal lives. This adds an aura of mystery to their already commanding presence. And, what you see is not what you get.
In fact there is always more to learn about the Snake. Just when you think you know the Snake, you find out the Snake has developed a totally new interest. Not only that you discover they have quickly grasped the subject.
It would not, however, be easy to heed that warning. More than any other sign, the Snake knows how to present itself in the most favorable light. They are never flamboyant or ostentatious. Most are fully aware of their karmic status and do not feel a need to impress anybody. But, when the spirit moves them, they will appear as the most dazzling personality on the scene.
Nevertheless, the Snake is basically a live and let live type person. If you treat the Snake right and earn their respect, they will return the favor and add immeasurably to the quality of your life.
Negative Traits:
Demanding, extravagant, fickle, high strung, impatient, indulgent, jealous, lazy, possessive, stingy, suspicious, vengeful.
More than any other sign, the Snake believes in revenge. They do not get mad, but they do get even. Crossing a Snake is a very dangerous move. Though the Snake may not demonstrate any anger upon learning what you have done, that does not mean it has been forgotten or forgiven.
Do not be surprised if the Snake takes what appears to be a personal interest in you. They are happy to learn about your experiences and to have you share their knowledge with them. In turn, you will be totally captivated by their magnificence and hang on their every word. Beware! The Snake's appetite is insatiable. They will tire of you and turn to other interests long before you are ready to end the relationship.
The Snake is basically a private person; so, it is not likely you are going to be continually running into them at social functions. In fact, more often than not they enjoy their own company more than that of other people. They easily lose themselves in their thoughts and derive great pleasure from so doing.
Qualities Admired: Power and quality itself.
Pet Peeves: Crossing or disturbing them