The following poem would be used as an introduction to a unit on reptiles and amphibians. On the first day of the unit, the students would receive this poem. We would use it to discuss attitudes that people often have about snakes and other reptiles. It would also be used to begin looking at the biology of a snake. The boggy acre refers to some type of wetland.
Wetlands do provide very good habitat for snakes.
The floor too cool for corn means that this land is too poor for growing crops on it, which is why the wetland is there. Verse four talks about walking upon a snake. For anyone who has been surprised by a snake, this verse does a good job of describing what the experience is like. You may see something in the grass, but you may not know what is it. As you bend down to inspect it, this unknown object either coils up into a ball or slithers away.