i saw a small snail 

slowly sliding outside the door

not wanting to disturb it 

i closed the door

the next day i saw

a shell unfleshed in a pot

a shell damaged in part

and i wondered

was it the colour

of the shell

of the snail

i had seen

if so 

had it been broken

after the snail had left the shell behind

to further sojourn

or 

heaven forbids

great snake

stepped upon

before so gone