In its special serpentine style too deep to fathom
while submersed beneath I was surprised to see
the world's second most venomous reptile
a striped Dubois' sea snake swim by me
when forewarned of dangers quirky lurking in the deep
altho' arriving suitably attired with fins mask and snorkel
it was sufficient to almost scare me out of my diving skin
so severe as to make my heart skip flip or turn turtle
but being bold brave of heart and fleet of flippered-foot
swiftly did I surely doggy-paddle safely away
tho' no harm was done to me a close call or so it seemed to be
which I survived to recount alive here on this another day
winy am-
monia mini
yams say i
am my
own way
high rep-
tilian brat-
boy schwing-
er rain-
ing ground-
ers through the
shortstop's not so
sticky wickets
Happy
Animated
Mischievous
Peppy
Small
Treader
Entertainer
Rodent
Resilient
Adorable
Burrower
Breeder
Inviting
Thumper
Gentle
Unique
Inquisitive
Neat
Easy-going
Affable
Playful
Impressive
Gnawer
Restive
Ectothermic
Prehistoric
Tensile
Intense
Lissome
Elusive
Funny
Effervescent
Rambunctious
Retriever
Excavator
Troubleshooter
Timid
Undercover
Reclusive
Tolerant
Long-lived
Evasive
Ophid air of misconception
Polarizing those of superstition
Hideous to some and
Indescribably beautiful to many
Devoid of human soul
Involved in man’s downfall
Only to be cursed as
Pretense of innocence
Holding unfounded fear
Of snakes who serve
Behind our sight with
Intense appearance and
Always omnipresent
slow moving reptile
lives inside leathery shell
good pet for a child
chocolate-cracked earth
sizzling Stygian summer ~
lizard on a stick
(July Full Moon – Native American)
Lizards are lazing here and there.
Kids enjoy the water sprayer.
Crows're hopping 'round
across burning ground.
Please soon end this summer affair!
On the twelve days of Christmas, West Texas gave to me
twelve tarantulas creepin’,
eleven javelinas diggin’,
ten jack rabbits jumpin’,
nine skunks a stinkin’,
eight mantis prayin’,
seven snakes swimmin’,
six mountain lions,
five sunny days,
four mockingbirds,
three hoary bats,
two horned toads,
and a cowbird in a mesquite tree.
On the twelve days of Christmas, West Texas gave to me
twelve oxeye creepin’,
eleven acanthus flamin’,
ten willows twistin’,
nine cholla jumpin’,
eight tumbleweeds rollin’,
seven shin diggers stickin’,
six purple thistles,
five sunny days,
four mountain laurels,
three ruby muhly,
two hawthorn,
and mistletoe in an elm tree.
Tovin Tortoise, where are you?
It’s been months and you’re not here.
Holding my breath makes me blue!
When you get here, I will cheer.
I can’t wait to see your face,
I know you’ll be sweet and strong.
I’ll save you a special place,
just hurry yourself along!
Are you hiding in your shell?
It’s time to meet your siblings.
Their excitement just won’t quell.
Maybe you can stop their quibblings!
Robbie Rabbit thinks it fun,
teasing you because you’re slow.
You may not have legs to run,
but have persistence, I know!
Please accelerate your speed!
We are waiting on Cloud Nine.
We will greet you, we agreed,
when you cross the finish line!
Reptile woman was a happy black swan.
Dancing on a stage that glitter was on.
She thought she was pretty and dainty too.
She’s awful one guy said, she belongs in a zoo.
Don’t be so mean, another replied.
She is a reptile with a natural glide.
She’s light on her toes, and entertaining too.
Reptile Woman threw him her old ballet shoe.
She’s daring and dashing, and she does not make a mistake!
She’s the star of the show said her manager, Sharon McQuake.
Reptile woman was a happy black swan.
Dancing on a stage that glitter was on.
I am turtle
and I roam.
From town to town,
carry my home,
upon my back
and that’s a fact.
A more patient creature
you’ll not see;
my best feature,
is to patient, be.
I take my time
and always arrive.
An world observer,
with great fervor;
I’ll always arrive
when disaster strikes;
with my house on my back
and emergency packs.
Your reptilian friend
until the end.
On land and sea,
I’ll always be.
For Turtle am I
and I always arrive.
Sluggish swamp water seeps through cypress knee
Looking for the reclusive crocodiles now infesting,
Our air boat skims along the edge of Okeefenochee
Where we spy a prehistoric-like alligator ingesting
What appears to be an unwary otter or fox squirrel
Our guide points out a log laden with sunning turtles
With the reptiles in the swamp, we have no quarrel,
As accelerating our speed, the air boat soon hurtles
Until we reach a fairly secluded lush-covered glade
Hoping to see a cottonmouth searching for prey,
After considerable time in the sun, loving the shade
Unfortunately, for the snake the wrong time of day.
Our lunch is ham sandwiches and a frosty cold beer
As our guide points out a meadow-like field ahead,
Where we’ll likely see a smaller herd of mule deer
And, there the ravishing crocodiles waiting to be fed.
Written June 22, 2022
A paleontologist, I specialized on the fauna
that flourished in the Jurassic era.
So, when I got an invitation to speak
in an international seminar last summer,
on the habitat and extinction of dinosaurs,
I set out to do my homework seriously
on the topic, lest I fail to meet the time-line.
The day before the scheduled date of my talk
I completed the presentation work at home,
and went to sleep happy after the hard work.
Soon I drifted dreaming 165 million years back,
suddenly saw a unique winged finger-shaped bird
in the pristine sky, flying with a flaming trail,
perhaps in fury, for I ignored it in my work.
From its distinctive features
I could figure out what that creature was.
It was a pterodactyl, the flying reptile of the Jurassic,
that entered my room through the open window,
and then angrily ate my homework.
February 9, 2021
Contest : ...And Then A Flaming Pterodactyl Ate My Homework
Sponsor : John Lawless
Die reptiel vrou
Het my alweer geflous
Met my gedeel, haarself ontbloot,
en toe
Die bitter gif gespoeg
Dit vloei uit my bors uit, deur my are
Verander my bloed - haar bloed
Word swart, taai, en koud
Soos haar hart
***
The reptile woman
Has fooled me again
Shared with me, exposed herself
and then
Spat out the bitter venom
It flows out of my chest, through my veins
Changes my blood - her blood
Becomes black, sticky, and cold
Like her heart
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