Suddenly
January 2013
Michael Gollin

Things can happen suddenly.
Like how I am just sitting there,
in the jungle,
at a lecture, in a chair.

When a flash streaks down,
from above, like a whip,
strikes my hand, “PLOP”
with a cool strong grip.

A heft of light green
speckled legs and tail,
I SHOUT and fling it off
with an emaciated flail.

It goes beyond reality,
SPLAT on the wide plank deck. Oh!
A long split-second later,
I see that it’s a Gecko.

No one, man or lizard,
is worse for wear,
just startled by the other —
something we can share.

***