Awakening
I woke up to a sight less titillating to me
Than to the bonsai dynosaur dangling from the
Ceiling fan above head.
My blood chilled. My heart stilled.
My spirit chickened out at its dull
Red glare.
All the old wives tales were still lives
Frozen in neural synapses.
The sleeping king who died of a heart attack when a
Lizard flopped upon his chest
The fall upon the head signifying sure
death in South India and Acquisition of
great wealth in the North, and somewhere else
The precursor of lunacy.
My nerves crisscrossed in agony.
I was scared to wriggle out of bed
As my slightest unwary wiggle might skewer its
Concentrated reptilian hatred
Causing it to clumsily fall or jump.
I remember the one that accosted me
In the bathroom.
Newly married faux bravery made me scorn
To show fear.
I splashed a mug of dismissive water!
The huge garden Lizzie wet and startled
Seemed ready to make a run, and
Galloped at me with sudden creepy speed,
my heart raced in frozen kick started motions
Bleeding warm internal jaggery.
Stomach churned butter out of cold fear!
I was found leapfrogging on the bed,
Phone in hand, by the hubby when he came
Pronto, puzzling over my summons
To the great rescue.
When asked why the bed was my best bet
I explained about seeking safety in the highest shelter.
Let it not be said this lady was not brave,
discretion being the better part of her glory,
and quick thinking on mercurial feet had ensured
that the cordless phone was pulled
Off its hooks for panicky SOS calls.
Lizards and other crocodile wanna bes
Either you or I
Up in a tall tree...
Wipe off the baleful look.
And pad about inside
Your secret nooks.
© Amrita Valan 2015
