Christmas Lizard

By John I. Blair

When I opened up the door
To the water heater closet
And showed the pest control man
Where a rat had chewed through plaster
At the back

A startled lizard
Skittered down the wall,
Looking as surprised as me
That it was there
Seeking shelter from December.

I remembered then
I’d seen my patient cat
Crouching earlier that day
On the kitchen floor
Staring at the crack beneath the door.

“This will not end well” was my thought,
Considering the last two times
Lizards interacted with the cats
In my cozy house
And required a garden burial.

But who knows? Perhaps this one
Possesses lizard wisdom
Enough to realize that now
Is not the time
To come out of the closet.

©2013 John I. Blair