Lizard Pie!

We’d set the date, and I’d bought the ring,

The dress was ready, and so was I,

But Liz went down with a fearful chill,

Her forehead burned and her mouth was dry.

 

They did some tests and they called me in,

The doctor muttered, and shook his head,

‘She’s diabetic, as sure as sin,

She’s lucky to be alive,’ he said.

 

‘You’ll have to be married another day,

We’ll get those sugars controlled,’ he said,

‘I’ll give her a course of insulin,

But you make sure that she stays in bed!’

 

It took a while for the sugar count

To drop, and Liz had a throbbing brain,

The Gila Monster’s saliva gland*

Would feed her nausea, over again!

 

With every needle at morn and night

She’d fade and sicken, and turn away,

I felt the chill of a lizard’s breath

Turn Liz to Lizard, more every day.

 

The weeks went by and I watched her fret,

She lost some weight and her skin was dry,

It flaked and roughened, she moved in jerks,

And stared unblinking, up at the sky.

 

The laughing girl that I’d known and loved

Became morose, and as cold as ice,

I’d try to jolly, and kiss her lips,

But hate shone out of her cold, dead eyes!

 

A fly got into the room one day

And buzzed her steady, unblinking eye,

Her tongue shot out in a sticky mass,

Went snap, rolled up, and - No more fly!

 

I hate to tell you the end of it,

The doctor called with his Gila gland,

I heard a scream and he rushed away,

A festering sore where she’d taken his hand!

 

‘But why did you bite the doctor, Liz,

How did you do that trick with the fly?’

She slithered along on her belly in there,

Belched and burped, said - ‘Lizard Pie!’

 

David Lewis Paget

 

• (One of the insulins used in controlling

diabetic sugars is manufactured from the saliva

of Gila Monsters).

Reviews

[Arielle Ann]

‘But why did you bite the doctor, Liz,
How did you do that trick with the fly?’
She slithered along on her belly in there,
Belched and burped, said - ‘Lizard Pie!’...hahaha

Aaw this was mind blowing...second time am reading this... previously I had dropped by but forgotten to leave a review :) and how could I do that? you deserve an applause for such an outstanding write!

Ps-A poem from the compositions of medicine!!!unique indeed!!!

[emmajoy]

I sat eyes gradually opening into the size of saucers over this ..it's such a clever write, so well written too, meter-fine and a very inventive theme! Not sure how seriously to take it, could analyse and think high thoughts but ..

As to the ending - ' She slithered along on her belly in there, _ Belched and burped, said - 'Lizard Pie!'' Argh .. no thank you, not even if you insist.

[patricia]

I liked the laughing girl stanza very much and the way the poem changed as it went on from a loving wife to something bitter, sore and cold. Thankyou.

[Valentine]

This one was totally an unexpected treat from you..gila monsters....and my younger sister was just diagnosed with diabetes..wait until I tell her about the monsters..he=he..Kathie

[Mark]

...but...but...What's so unusual?? I thought ALL women developed torpor and an irate streak once they had us firmly in their sights, awaiting only the opportunity to gobble us up, preferably without chewing!
Looking beneath the surface here, it is certainly true that we all can allow circumstance to change us into less attractive beings, if we are not attentive to our responses, to keep them positive. Liz seemed too ready to go with the flow, as it were: the easier path. A little autobiographical, perhaps...?

[SINDE]

Yet again you delivered justiced in lizard pie. This poem cracked me up I didn't even know what to post as a review. It has an amazing twist and I LOVED it. 'World beyond perception' huh? As usual the flow is impeccable. I started reading it while trying hard to hold back a tear but ended up breaking into laughter. The medical insight shared at the end is also remarkable!

‘But why did you bite the doctor,
Liz,
How did you do that trick with
the fly?’
She slithered along on her belly
in there,
Belched and burped, said -
‘Lizard Pie!’

[J Todd Underhill]

I like dropping in on your works and this one is no exception, this had humor and a serious tone mixed, you are quickly becoming a poetic master of the day in my book. well written!

[Raven Starhawk]

I read wisdom here as you so carefully described something that speaks to many people. I think people can read this and walk away feeling inspired as well as informed.