Poem that Swallows its Own Tail – Jane Zwart
Because its clasp is also a mouth, the ouroboros is no Möbius strip. Its always flawed— the symbol that, molting, will choke the symbol that, meaning, will starve the snake that swallows its own tail-- it’s always flawed by knowing the lump in eternity’s throat because its clasp is also a mouth.
Jane Zwart teaches English at Calvin University, where she also co-directs the Calvin Center for Faith & Writing. Her poems have previously appeared in Poetry, Threepenny Review, and TriQuarterly, and elsewhere.