Lucky little lizard
09 May 2012
BY MICHAEL DOM
Tak! Tak! Tak-tak, tak-tak, tak-tak, tak-tak! …
Small mercies fall upon a tin roof
Glad tidings whistle through rafters
A pleasant evening between here and there
And a song to share with musing geckos
Eating silly bugs bedazzled
By luminous glows.
Tchk! Tchk-tchk, tchk-tchk, tchk-tchk! …
Staccato feeling at a flick of tail
Defying laws that hold me
Neither over nor under
Neutrally buoyant or rather
Drowning in suspended animation
Better a ceiling clinging critter.
Tshhh! Tshhh-tshhh, tshhh! tshh, tssshhhhhh!
Simmering rice on a hot gas stove
Is habit not hunger driven
Mouthful of moth
He scurries off
Like some freak reflection
Of me entering the kitchen.
Wibbly-wobbly, dribbly-gobbly, bibbly-bobbly, blur!
Glaring, defiant, lizard to giant
In retort to my musing, at a meager moth,
He snaps once then twice –it’s gone!
In a quick lick n’ a wink: ‘Urrrp!’
Then them-there glazed eyes
Lucky little lizard.
Welcome Harry. I think reptiles eyes are cool. And they are awesome critters, which can't be tamed. Geckos are so daring to live in close proximity to giants.
Posted by: Michael Dom | 09 May 2012 at 09:19 PM
Hi Michael - That's a wonderful poem. It takes me back too; to my childhood.
Whilst other kids were making coconut 'broom-stick' arrows to kill them, I never saw the reason why.
They were perfectly innocent animals who had their place in the balance of nature. They kept moths and flies in check.
Is it just me or do they have hauntingly beautiful eyes? And not too many people are this fond of reptilians.That's for sure.
Tenkyu tumas Michael.
Posted by: Harry Egimbari | 09 May 2012 at 07:43 PM
Barbara - I'm glad to recall that memory to you. The geckos at Kerevat Station were the largest I've seen.
This poem is an anedote of Labu Station, Morobe. The geckos there are smaller but no less assertive.
Posted by: Michael Dom | 09 May 2012 at 04:40 PM
Thanks, Michael. Lovely poem. Takes me back. Enjoyed them for 13 years.
Sori we haven't got any geckos down here to keep us amused, nor those wonderful, beautiful, tiny moths that collect near lights after rain.
Posted by: Mrs Barbara Short | 09 May 2012 at 07:32 AM