01 Mar 98

By Paul Ford

Snakes and Angels

When I was eleven, I read The Little Prince, which describes boa constrictors, and their method of swallowing. An illustration showed a boa engorged with an entire elephant.

I began a private art project, sketching line-drawings of snakes swallowing large objects. Illustration brought forth snakes that ate entire homes, cities, and galaxies. Snakes ate my parents, in their Dodge. Snakes ate naked women.

Finally, sometime in 1986, I closed the series with a text-image piece: "Snake Swallows an Angel." It went like this:

Snake was wandering through a desert when he found an Angel.

"Hello," said the Angel. "Have you learned about God?"

"Hello," said Snake. "I have not."

"To know God is is when God understands and loves you," said the Angel.

"Does God understand and love you, Angel?" asked Snake.

"Yes," said the Angel. "I've been lucky."

"You are very tall. I should learn what you learn," said Snake. He set on the Angel and swallowed it in one gulp.

The Angel stayed there until Snake died, because Angels are indigestible.

"Hello," said the Angel. "Have you learned about God?"

"Hello," said Snake. "I have not."

"To know God is is when God understands and loves you," said the Angel.

"Does God understand and love you, Angel?" asked Snake.

"Yes," said the Angel. "I've been lucky."

"You are very tall. I should learn what you learn," said Snake. He set on the Angel and swallowed it in one gulp.

The Angel stayed there until Snake died, because Angels are indigestible.