Wiki photo
Grey and pretty, frilled and scaled,
with blood around her head,
at first I couldn’t ascertain
if she were live or dead.
“Some bastard hit her”, I did cry,
“And left her on the road to die.”
Her bloodied eyes were lightly closed
as she lay limp and curled,
still fighting for survival
in a reptile netherworld.
And then she rallied with some sips
Of water drizzled through her lips.
A few weeks passed and she grew fat
On greens and fillet steak,
On grubs and fruit and whatsoe’r
her open maw would take.
Then one surprising morning dawned
when twenty dragonlets were spawned.
I dug a hole and placed them
in a cradle made of sand,
and watched the twenty babes emerge
when nature took a hand.
And though her dragonlets were free,
my one-eyed girl could never be.
Grey and pretty, frilled and scaled
she’s buried in the sand;
the sweetest bearded dragon
that ever walked the land.
The sand that made a fleeting womb
became her everlasting tomb.
Nooooooooo! Nature can be so evil. Thrilled she had a cosseted few weeks before The End. How are the dragonlets?
Oh – is this a Story-pome? I was engrossed. Wonderful, Ara!
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Hello, Dolores. Thank you. 🙂
Lovely to see you and hope you are both well and settled happily.
Henley had a good few years before The End and some more clutches, which I dutifully buried even though they may not have been fertile (I understand dragons can retain semen in case they don’t mate). However, she became egg bound eventually and, despite injections, sadly died. I hope some of the dragonlets are still out there somewhere.
It wasn’t possible, unfortunately, to release her into the wild as she had lost an eye and was very slightly brain-damaged. She seemed to enjoy life though, basking, climbing up trees and curtains, and she loved her food. RIP Henley.
The Australian One. x
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Oh Bilby beloved Australian One- Why did I say Ara when I can see you up there now. Sorry – I’m an imbecile.
It’s fabulous to get the whole story and it IS True – hurray! I can imagine she had joy-filled years with you caring for her. What complicated processes they go through – your expertise is amazing!
George & I are fine, thank you, and slowly settling. The brass band is recruiting – even learners & decrepit specimens! Am hugely tempted to have a go at the euphonium!
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Not an imbecile, Dolores, but a budding Euphonist of huge talent (and lungs). Sounds quite difficult, but to one who only mastered ‘Peas Pudding Hot’ on the recorder that is hardly surprising. My research tells me the sound you should aim for is ‘dark, rich, warm, and velvety, with virtually no hardness to it.’ Splendid!
I’m so glad you are settling and finding interesting things to do.
Love to you and George. x
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She does look very happy. I was well on the way with falling in love with a bearded dragon called Puff. Then I watched him have his lunch. And that long tongue rolling out quite put me off.
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Hello, Isobel
The photo’s from Wiki, but she looks just like Henley. I liked it because it looks as though she’s smiling, even though she’s actually in threat mode. It sounds weird but I never noticed Henley’s tongue particularly, I was just happy that she was eating. Dragons are easy to fall in love with.
Good to see you. 🙂
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We buried her at dead of night, the sod with our bayonets turning, bid her a farewell over her not returning…But we left her alone with her glory. Oh. Someone already did that one.
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Someone did indeed. 🙂
No useless coffin enclosed her breast,
Not in sheet or in shroud we wound her
(apologies to Mr Wolfe)
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Lovely, Bilby.
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Thank you, Nym. 🙂
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