Here I am with my friend Rozzie
on a camping trip in Aussie.
We saw our first cute kangaroo,
koala and an emu too.
Myths and legends are related,
’round the camp fire Dad narrated
stories of the past Creation
from the Dreamtime of our nation.
Feeling sleepy, off to my bed,
comfy pillow under my head.
Our tent is safe, there’s walls and floors,
so all the critters stay outdoors.
But dreaming let’s them come right in.
Now there’s a dingo with a grin,
a goanna fills me with dread,
and yikes, a toad’s upon my head!
What is that shadow on the wall?
It’s got eight legs, my flesh does crawl.
A snake just coiled around my arm –
if I stay still, will it stay calm?
But I just want to run and scream,
this surely is a horrid dream.
My heart’s about to burst or seize –
can I wake up now, please, oh please?
Author Notes
Author's Notes:
The photo is of a goanna's claw.
A goanna is any of several Australian monitor lizards of the genus Varanus. Of the 30 known species of goanna, 25 are found in Australia.
This varied group of carnivorous reptiles ranges greatly in size. Being predatory lizards, they are often quite large, with sharp teeth and claws. The largest is the perentie (V. giganteus), which can grow over 2.5 m (8.2 ft) in length. It is the fourth-largest living lizard on earth, after the Komodo dragon, Asian water monitor, and the crocodile monitor. Found west of the Great Dividing Range in the arid areas of Australia, it is rarely seen because of its shyness and the remoteness of much of its range from human habitation.
Goannas have beautiful markings and there are many variations in colouring and patterning, useful for camouflage.
The goanna features prominently in Aboriginal mythology (the Dreamtime). It was a favoured food item among desert Aboriginal tribes, and the fat was used for medicinal and ceremonial purposes.
As an Australian, and someone who goes camping often, I am used to all the 'critters', but unexpected encounters can be scary. Goannas will chase you if you get too close. I broke the Olympic 100 metres record when one chased me several years ago. What a pity my sprint was unrecorded.
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