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.

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