See the Lizard and Learn (by Henry Dike)

I have been on His neck, I have consistently asked
Many times I have probed, severally have I entreated
In various tongues, in many places, have I sought
This one, this special, this only one favour
From Him who asked me to ask to be given
To seek carefully, so as to find
To knock hard, so as to be heard and obliged
I have asked for long and getting tired
And thought to stop asking.

Today I saw a sign in church:
The sign of the lizard,
I read the sign silently aloud
The morning was cold, the church was colder
Following the wetness of yester-night
I saw them, the flying termites
Circling feebly around the fluorescent tubes
Warming themselves, listening to the Reverend
Distracting me, oblivious of my stare

Below them was a lizard, looking up at them
Not speaking, not moving, not bothered
Not paying attention to the preacher
Only looking up, and waiting, and waiting
For breakfast, that seemed far away
It was a long wait, and a long sermon

Alas it started happening,
The flying termites appeared to be tired
Of flying, or of the heat
For in twos, threes and fours they fell
Onto the lizard’s limitless plate,
Without shame, without hurry,
It picked them one by one,
Still they fell like manna
Without coercion they served Mr Lizard

Indeed it was a long rewarding wait
It was a necessary wait
Then a strange thing happened:
The lizard faced the altar,
Nodded as though bowing,
Thrice it did this, picked up one last termite
It seemed that was desert
And scampered off towards the side door
As I heard the preacher say: ‘Wait for the Lord!’.

Henry Dike
HP-Dyke Educational Consult