Illumination | Haiku

Lizard Looks

Lounging, laughing

I come in peace…Take me to your lizard. Douglas Adams

Lizards look, listen

Morrison was Lizard King

I am a lizard

You make me understand how wonderful it is for little lizards when they find that one special rock that’s perfect for sunning themselves on. You make me lizard-happy. R. K. Milholland

I spotted two small lizards near my back steps late this afternoon, though they disappeared lightning fast when I stepped outside. I think I disturbed their sunbathing.

I am happy to find lizards in my garden. These reptiles are helper residents. The tiny leftovers from the time when dinosaurs roamed the earth eat slugs and harmful insects, pests that terrorize many of my plants.

I have worked on creating lizard- friendly spots throughout my backyard. I use natural means to control pests and weeds, frequently involving a lot of hand weeding. When you poison one thing, often you are poisoning a lot of other living things too.

Moist hideaways are in little watering places and heaps of mulch. There are areas for the lizards to sun themselves, with large rocks and a stone wall that absorbs and keeps daytime heat for those cool, late summer nights.

A brush pile for tucked-in resting places and protection is in the far corner, next to a large composting area that the lizards (and the snakes) adore.

But if I were to spot large ones like the one in the story image, I would undoubtedly run. Though if the Jurassic Park movies are correct, it would do me little good!

I had saved this funny poem by Paroma Sen in my reading list. My evening sighting of the lizards in my yard made me remember it. I read it, laughing, and decided to be a wizard too, only a wizard at creating lizards instead of a wizard at relocating wizards like Paroma.

And that is how my friends, I became a wizard At the obscure and subtle art of Relocating a Lizard