This photo is a representation only, and not the actual snake that I saw.
A good description paints a vivid picture. The reader should be able to recall the objects and incidents described as though he or she had seen a painting or a motion picture.
The following extract is based on a true incident which occurred during my travels through the Amazon Rain Forest. The primary objective of the lesson is to teach descriptive writing and literary devices. How effective do you think the description of the snake’s movement is? How can it be improved? Leave your comments below and let me know.
A Snake Above My Head
As I lay down in my hammock one sunny morning, in the heart of the Amazon Rain Forest, sipping a cup of coffee, I had the displeasure of viewing with distrust this dangerous creature, as it slithered from branch to branch in the tree above me.
The deadly serpent was about 6 feet long. It was yellow on the belly and black on the back, and at times, it stuck its forked tongue out and wobbled it in the air. Its movement was as effortless as flowing water, as it poured itself across the leaves, limbs and branches.
What mechanism of action produced such seamless movement, I do not know, but it was remarkable and striking. Sometimes, it launched itself on very frail limbs that miraculously did not crack under its considerable weight. At other times, it lifted half its body into thin air as it reached for another limb. The snake effortlessly bridged considerable gaps that humans with hands and feet would have difficulty crossing. Before I knew it, the creature was way down towards the other side of the tree, down towards the bottom near to the river, and out of my sight.
Related: My Closest Encounter With A Venomous Snake.
