Gasp and Swallow

Ageless and Baby Pierre made it to the door, unseen.

A lucky escape! said Ageless.

Yes, said Baby Pierre. Did you hear what the curator said about tin tacks?

And light bombs, added Ageless.

To be fair, said Baby Pierre, it was that Arthur fellow who mentioned light bombs.

The poet, said Ageless. I wonder if his poem's any good?

Me too, said Baby Pierre. I'll sneak back in and listen. You wait here.

Baby Pierre rolled quietly back into the room where Arthur and Dr Yates were sitting at the replica waterhole. It was good timing. Arthur was just opening his mouth.

Part One: The Claw, (said Arthur).

Good title, said Dr Yates.

Shut up if you want to hear it, said Arthur.

Sorry, said Dr Yates.

One: The Claw (said Arthur)

Innocent I grew from a fingerling,
A vicious claw curved and dangerous,
Beside the dry waterhole with parched and pockmarked bones
I lay for eight million years.

Ummm.... said Dr Yates

Arthur glared.

Two: The Varan (said Arthur)

Crash! Come the Japanese in battleships,
Light bombs rain down,
I gasp and swallow phosphorescence.
The internal explosion scatters my component parts.

Three: Giant Freshwater Crocodile

Jealous of his knobby buttons and his olive complexion,
His serried teeth, his magnanimous spasmic length.

Four: Dromornis Stirtoni

My whole skeleton varnished and mahoganised
In mid stride
Delirious with life.

Arthur stopped, and looked at Dr Yates, who appeared to be overcome with some emotion.