Serpent most subtle?

This poem stuff is tough.

Serpents, Serpents

Serpents look like sly, slippery creatures,

and they're as sly as they are slippery,

but slip'ry is not one of their features,

so here is slyness naught but frippery.

But that sets this poem at odds with scripture,

for the Word says the snake was subtle-sly.

Perhaps we're meant to take this with snip-ture?

For Serpent ever mixes truth with lie.

Such is hermeneutics.