Roxie Elsberry's untitled poem is about the danger of deceit, and it builds its whole argument around one image: lies as snakes. The opening lines show words twisting and slipping out "like snakes in vines," so the lies seem hidden and natural-looking, almost part of the scenery until they strike. The phrase "evil elegance" and "poisonous poise" is the sharpest turn. Here the speaker admits that deception can be graceful and attractive, which is exactly why it works.
The second half shifts from describing the lies to showing what they do to the listener. The lines begin with "Grasping," "Enclosing," "Constricting," and "Numbing," and they follow the way a snake traps its prey, tightening step by step. The speaker sounds wary and angry, perhaps warning the reader as much as describing a hurt. The mood is tense and suffocating. The short, rhyming lines pile up like coils, and the final word, "eternity," leaves a cold feeling that being fooled can feel permanent.