
In troth ma’am I understand not your shrieks
on spying my lissome self on your beloved
painting! I serenade my squeeze with chirps and squeaks
But you stamp your foot and want me culled!
My pale, pasty skin may put you off
Believe me, my beady eyes are focussed
My usefulness, trust me, you just cannot scoff
Gulping insects, I try to remain unnoticed.
I like your precious china cabinet to rest
Your porch light, magnet for my preys,
doth attract my varied winged dinner best
On your rooftop I truly enjoy my summer stays.
Methinks, milady doth protest too much
Here take my tail, though you don’t like to touch!
Written for dVerse. Today’s host Sarah says: Write a poem about creepy crawlies or insects, preferably from their own viewpoint.
Mine is from the viewpoint of a lizard.
lol a bit of Shakespeare mixed in with gecko common sense, love it!
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Haha! Had a bit of fun with the Shakespearean sonnet. Thanks, sis. βΊοΈ
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I really love that olde world english, so grateful you wove it in!
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I love it too and try to use it whenever I get a chance. π
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I’ve never tried to write it myself so there’s a challenge … olde english to the fore π
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You must give it a try. We were taught Shakespeare in school by some very good teachers and since then have loved it. π
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I fell in love with Shakespeare soon after I started reading and then have referred to his work often in my professional capacity … he was the first to accurately document PTSD in Lady Macbeth π
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There are many layers to his writing and it is amazing how he wrote about such things so many years ago!
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his insights are still so powerful today, must have been an interesting guy to know π
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Definitely. π
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Why do we judge animals using human notions of beauty? I’m sure other geckos think this one is just perfectβas it is π
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Because we are nincompoops with a false sense of superiority.
I am sure they do. π
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π
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Though most of us detest spying one on our walls, you actually bring in its perspective to make us feel, the poor lizard ain’t so bad after all π
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Haha! No, it ain’t so bad at all! Thanks, Radhika. π
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π
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π
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They are unwanted visitors indeed. You have portrayed their view point so beautifully. Great job, Punam β€οΈπ€
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Thanks so much, Shweta. β€οΈπ€
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You’re welcome π
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This looks like a salamander to me: we’ve had a few visit our house, and I’m always glad to see them! They always make me think of Gaudi’s sculpture in Park Guell, Barcelona.
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It is the common lizard. I have plenty of them in the balcony and near the front door.
Indeed! You reminded of the amazing sculpture. π
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Oops, yikes! I love this poem but I detest lizards π±
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Haha Sadje! Love your response. π
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Thank you! π¦
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ππ
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ππ½ππ½ππ½
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So cool. Your sonnet is so cool. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks so much, Selma. So delighted you find it cool.
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Hee hee, very funny, Punam. Getting up close and personal is a tad too far. π
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ππ so happy you enjoyed it, Tracy. Empathy was difficult, believe me.
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I would have been so cross. π€£
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Geckos are gorgeous, and you honour them well here, Punam. No one can cull them, you’d have to catch them first, they’re like lightning! My favourite lines:
“Your porch light, magnet for my preys,
doth attract my varied winged dinner best.” β€
Have you ever seen one up close? They have the most beautiful eyes π
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Sunra, right now four of them are looking at me balefully as I enjoy the evening breeze in my balcony. π
Yes, they do have beautiful eyes. I remember when I was a kid, our neighbour would drive them away with a broom!
Thanks so much. β€οΈ
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Balefully?! At you?? Surely not! They usually run away at the tiniest tremor. They must have been quite unafraid to be hanging around your yard so freely π
You’re most welcome π
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Haha! I had invaded their turf, so…π
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π π So that’s why they were giving you the eye!! Ha ha!
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ππ
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No geckos around here, but I’m pretty sure I would have no trouble accommodating their presence, given their anti-insectual proclivity, which I share. Snakes would be another issue, though,,,ick.
Nice sonnetization of the voice. Thanks.
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I would have sent over a few if that was possible!π
Thanks a lot, Ron.
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Very nicely composed poem on a lizard, Punam. Why get scared of a lizard. Poor guy goes on its way and never troubles us. Lovely poem.
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So sweet of you, Kamal. Thanks so much.
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Welcome dear Punam ππππ
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This is great! I love your poem… It reminds me of a trip we took many years ago to visit friends in Miami. They had lots of little orange lizards running around and in the house eating the insects and not really bothering anyone! Well done.
dwight
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Thanks so much, Dwight. They are quite harmless.
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And helpful if we can get past having them around.
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Indeed.
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Punam,
Such a helpful creature! Who can resist? And fantastic powers of rhetoric. :>)
pax,
dora
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Indeed, very helpful, Dora! Poor things face dislike because they don’t meet our beauty parameters.
Thanks so much.
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I wonder why we would even dare to look upon creatures and call them ugly especially those who do so much good.
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We go by appearances and not the innate ability.
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oh. wow Shakespeare in the modern era… i love it…
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Lol Hardly Shakespeare, Mich! You are very kind… thanks so much.
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Love it! Fun write
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Thanks a lot, VJ. Once I got past my squeamishness, I enjoyed writing it.
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Good for you! Welcome
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Wherever did you find him, Punam? Wow! An exterminator who speaks in Shakespearean English while eliminating pesky bugs! I think he’s cool! β€
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Hanging around in my balcony, Cheryl!π
So delighted you found him cool! β€οΈ
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Sounds like the lizard where you’re at serves the same function as spiders do here. Neat image you chose to go with your poem, Punam.
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Indeed, Li. They get rid of all the pesky insects. Plenty of them around here at this time of the year.
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I adore this little love poem to the lizard and his lady (though she seems a reluctant lover). I would love to have a lizard in the house if it meant no more spiders or crickets or flies!!
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It did turn out like a love poem, isn’t it! Hehe
I am okay with them outside my house, but inside would give me a creepy feeling.
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I laughed so much as I read this poem and kept thinking of my mom who is mortally afraid of lizards. I keep telling her the same thing – poor thing is more scared of you than you are – and you are the one hurting her with your broom…poor thing is not doing anything to you!
I have to send her the link to this……ROFL!
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I had to overcome my uneasiness with them to write this. Do let me know your mom’s reaction.
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Ugh! The picture was far from inviting π
This lizard, however is very smart- she speaks Shakespeare! π€
Such an innovative, whimsically-crafted poem π
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Ooh! My bad, Sahana. I should have used filters to beautify it. π
Oh, yeah! He is my house lizard, has often resided behind my books cabinet. So maybe had a peek at Shakespeare’s books. π
Thanks so much, dear. I would have never written it, had it not been for the prompt. π
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Miracles are born out of prompts, you say! π
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Absolutely…at least in my case! ππ
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Your creativity knows no bounds, thank goodness; this is an epic poem, dear Punam. I love this last line so very much, “Methinks, milady doth protest too much
Here take my tail, though you donβt like to touch!” β€π²π β€
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You are so sweet, Jeff and am humbled by your words. So delighted you enjoyed it. Thanks so much, my friend. πβ€οΈ
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Youβre most welcome, Punam. Itβs always my pleasure. β€οΈβΊοΈ
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Nice post
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Thanks, Pratik.
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Ha ha, this is very clever Punam π
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Thanks a lot, Vignesh. π
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This is wonderful Punam, loved going through the comments too π
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