The things the holiday brochure didn't show

Who would have thought
a water buffalo would gaze at me
and struggle up from his mud hip-bath
like an elderly cleaning lady from her knees
and raise his head to pose for my camera
against the paddy fields' eye-hurt green.

Who would have thought
that lizards, cocktail-bright and quick
which cling to wooden eaves with suction feet
would call and chatter to each other
like starlings or excited teenage girls
in the Ladies at a disco.

Who would have thought
a gaudy clown-fish would parade itself
and coral sway like washing on a line
while still as taxidermy on a sportsman's wall
a Barracuda hangs immobilised
scowling behind his third-world dentistry.

Who would have thought
that now my feet are pounding London pavements
but somewhere on the other side of night
the water buffalo lumbers to its patient feet
the lizards gossip on the ceilings
and the Barracuda eyes up lunch.