Guidelines for House Gecko Leave pearl eggs in dark spots— behind sockets or bookshelves. Crawl the walls on sticky toes, but if you see people, scuttle to a crack and hide. Squeak for help. Chirp for sex. Eat bugs and multiply. Let the little ones dash across carpets but only at night. You’ll last for years here, hovering in the laundry room, waiting for roaches but even if a fleshy hand catches you and drops you in the grass, don’t panic. Remember, your name is House. You know where all the secret passages are.
About the Author: Sarah Carleton writes poetry, edits fiction, plays the banjo, and knits obsessively in Tampa, Florida. Her poems have appeared in numerous publications, including Nimrod, Tar River Poetry, Cider Press Review, The Wild Word, Valparaiso, As It Ought to Be, and New Ohio Review. Sarah’s poems have received nominations for Pushcart and Best of the Net. Her first collection, Notes from the Girl Cave, was published in 2020 by Kelsay Books.
Image Credit: Illustration originally from Histoire naturelle de Lacépède. Paris: Furne, Jouvet et cie. Public domain image courtesy of the Biodiversity Heritage Library.
As It Ought To Be 