The Frilled Lizard

This frilled Lizard is one of my more ambitious carvings and measures 80mm high. I used several photographs to obtain the correct proportions. As mentioned in the poem below, it was gradually completed over a period of seven months. I woke one night with the outline of the verses below and the remaining lines quickly fell into place.

“In Praise of Discarded Timber”

The old rosewood table it would seem, was well beyond repair,
But one leg survived, another man’s trash, its condition hardly fair.
Yet this piece somehow, retained the spark that helped a giant grow,
For beneath the lacquer and dust, appeared that warm red glow.

Now the leg was turned, but just below the damaged mortise line,
A close-grained block of section square, for carving would be fine.
A frill-neck lizard was the choice poised to meet its foe,
A two-cent icon from the past1; another challenge on the go.

Research, photos, drawings, plans; then bandsaw, chisel and drill,
The basic shape was ready to carve, from tail to torso and frill.
The blades were stropped; the gouge was honed; old tools true and tried.
All that remained was to release the reptile trapped inside.

What followed was hours of contentment, relaxation on demand.
The texture, aroma; a sheer delight; those who work with wood understand.
On one occasion the project was shelved, the lizard’s shape somewhat insecure.
But time and patience saw the problem solved; a fresh outcome to procure.

The hours became weeks, and before its completion, October had turned to May.
The rosewood piece was then sanded and oiled, pride of place in the fauna display.
But satisfaction was tinged with a little regret, once more to realise;
The destination may well be rewarding, but the journey takes the prize.

₁ The frill-neck lizard was on the Australian two-cent piece in Australia, withdrawn in 1992