Way up North
Where forest gums grow
Lidia waits and thinks
Grasping a branch
Seen only by chance
Perhaps if she blinks

Amongst the trees
Is where she lives
For most of the day and night
She comes down to feed
Or when there’s a need
And basks in morning light

She hunts on the ground
Where insects are found
Watching from way up a tree
A beetle crawls by
Which catches her eye
It scuttles along to flee

Lidia scamps down
To snatch some lunch
A meal well in view
But wouldn’t you know
She encounters a foe
To pass or pursue

No time to hide
She opens up wide
And spits a nasty hiss
Standing her ground
With a frightful sound
Such courage as this!

Locked in a stare
Neither could bare
To scrap or to slip
Lidia knows what to do
There’s plan number two
Her tail is nature’s whip!

But that’s not enough
She’ll need more bluff
To make herself look bigger
Knowing the drill
She fluffs up her frill
A very timely trigger

A second to spare
Neither will dare
To lunge or to bite
Lidia’s made to deceive
Then take her leave
Departing in full flight

A fiery display
She then runs away
With a rapid retreat
Look at her go!
Outpacing her foe
Sprinting on two feet

She runs up a tree
All safe and sound
But didn’t catch her dinner
With tricks up her sleeve
So hard to believe
Lidia’s come through a winner

Blending right in
Against the bark
She can wait and see
Watching the ground
Where insects are found
The place for her to be

High on a branch
She hopes for a chance
To catch a meal today
Below there’s a rustle
She’s ready to tussle
Luck has come her way

Down she flies in pursuit
Lidia now gives chase
But she’s far too swift and strong
So easily wins the race
A centipede! What a feed!
It’s really been her day
Up the tree to wait and see
And that’s where she’ll stay

Photo from Pexels by Detlef Bukowski