Encounters Of A Different Kind

By Gayatri M P

Wielding the broom like a wizard, We'd chase away the lurking lizards Clinging to the walls ,hiding behind the doors, peeping through the windows, Often interrupting our daily chores! The wily and crafty encroachers, the cockroaches, Scurrying away to safe corners at the slightest sound of our approach! Crawling and creeping creatures there were aplenty All a part of nature's beauty and bounty! Crawling centipedes, millipedes and scorpions, Merrily taking a walk just like they'd been doing for eons! Ants black, white, brown and red, Waiting to sting, if anyone into their territory dared to tread! And oh those swarms of flying termites hovering around the street lights, The morn next saw them in a sorry plight! At homes, to the lampshade people swung up an oiled sheet, In no time a plethora of flying termites got stuck on it in their eagerness to tweet!

Those beautiful glow worms dotting the dense bushes, Other nocturnal insects providing background music and drowning their admirers' gushes ! Chasing and catching butterflies, Tucking away shining ,colourful beetles in empty matchboxes as treasured mementos, Literally had the kids on their toes! Grinning from ear to ear looking at their catch, Scrutinizing others' boxes if in terms of beauty the catch did match! Releasing their catch back into their territory, The boys would give a thumbs up sign as a signal of their victory! Rest assured, all these activities did spice up their lives! It was a delight to watch the nimble footed squirrels, Looking askance at the slightest sound, wary of unexpected perils! Mongoose, snakes, chameleons and common skinks, The sight of these creepy , crawling creatures would make us forget to even blink! Members of the insect and reptile family there were galore, So much so , that a zoologist would have loved to explore!.

By Gayatri M P