Sunday 4 June 2006

Law of Nature

Switching on the light
I found a slimy lizard
slithering on the wall
into a nook in there

After a while it was back
following a tiny insect
on a hot pursuit

Paused for a while
and was so still
watching the insect
waiting for a kill

Seeing no action
the insect moved
in that instant
the lizard swooped

In single moment
caught its prey and
swallowed it whole

In fascinated horror,
I watched it happen
rooted to the spot
with unblinking eyes

Law of nature.
Death for one is
food for the other!

5 comments:

  1. Fabulous image! I can see the whole scene play out before my eyes and it delights me without any of your 'facinated horror'. Rather, I am comforted.

    Your lizard visits me also - except here it's dry and scaly instead of slimy.

    The lizard, when you think about it, is a modern prehistoric. Good commentary on nature's law how it's still here with us today.

    Best to you Gautami - and continued poetic glances.

    -Lady

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  2. I think that sort of thing has bothered people for a long time - that life is arranged that way. I even remember in college reading a 19th century poem dealing with it.

    Until and unless we ever decide as a society that we ought to be vegetarians in order to avoid causing unecessary suffering, I guess it's just a good thing we're at the top of the food chain...

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  3. Life is a Bugger!

    Lizard 1
    Insect nil

    That's why there are fifty billion bugs for every reptile.
    I mean how would you like to be endothermic? On the plus side the lizard only needs to eat a couple of bugs a month because he doesn't waste all of his energy heating up his body.

    Go Solar!

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  4. Thanks Lady Wordsmith! Your words are very comforting to me!

    I have been asked how could I write poetry on a slimy lizard? But why not?

    Those are good observations, Darius and homo escapeons.

    Nature makes sure about the survival of the fittest.

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  5. Nice poen abt everyday observation..

    Phew I hate these word verfications

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