This is another example of how deep my fascination with snakes goes. While studying them, I discovered that one of the most venomous snakes is actually the small coral snake, a creature that does not immediately look dangerous, yet carries a powerful threat beneath its appearance. That contrast stayed with me and led me to connect the image of the snake with the idea of love: something that can attract, seduce, and at the same time wound. From there came the wordplay, where poi in Italian means “then,” creating a tension between love, poison, and love then or love poison. The piece eventually became part of a snake exchange with fellow tattoo artist Belena, @belenatattoos.