The Rock and the Lizard
Out in the middle of the boundless sea,
As far away from land as ever it could be.
An island stands alone with water all around,
And the very whitest beaches that ever could be found.
At the center rises a volcano that long ago is dead,
And on its rim there sits a boulder as a crown for its head.
The boulder was heaved up from the center of the earth,
Then it landed hot and bothered on the day of its birth.
But now it has cooled itself and long since settled in,
Balanced on the edge of the mighty volcano’s rim.
This spot pleases him and he likes the moss that grows,
For he is the pinnacle of the whole world that he knows.
The rock is the sole authority over all the land,
Over the entire island and the grains of pure white sand.
But in the ground beneath his base a lizard is at work,
Digging out a place to live where danger will not lurk.
A den where his family can live a happy life,
Until he gets a look from his little lizard wife.
“This hole that’s beneath a rock reminds me of a tomb,
I think the kids are going to need a lizard rumpus room.”
So they sat at the kitchen table deciding what was best,
To add on to their little home by digging east or west.
If they were only made aware that they shouldn’t even try,
Not knowing that if they dug at all that they might surely die.
Because if they dig to the east the boulder will fall into the pit,
Left over from the place where once volcanic lava spit.
And if they dig to the west it will also take a toll,
As the ground beneath the rock will fail and it will start to roll.
Down the side of the mountain until beneath the waves it dives,
Its majestic face from the island the ocean water then deprives.
Either way it seems that the boulder’s reign was through,
Its fate was dependant on what the lizard chose to do.
On a tiny island a mighty boulder dreamt he ruled,
Not knowing what was at stake as a lizard couple dueled.
An unknown outside force would decide for him his life,
His fate was left to the wagging tongue of a nagging lizard wife.
The stone that now protects them they would cause to fall,
And when it does it would roll and squish and kill them all.
The lizard’s wife’s rebuking taunts drove him to the brink,
And he decided to go and find himself a better place to think.
So he climbed out of his hole to sun himself on the boulder,
And the rock called him lazy just to get him off his shoulder.
Copyright © Tony Lane | Year Posted 2011
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