Book
A Lizard’s Flickering Tongue
R250
The last link in a long chain of thought — published 2025
Collected here are two hundred and forty-eight short poems by Louisa Punt-Fouché. These poems are beautiful, thought-provoking and reminiscent of haiku.
The poems are accompanied by artworks that originate from simple scribbles and lines, embodying a sense of ‘present-time awareness’, touching the “Essence of Spirit” (Title of Exhibition), in the poetic, sensuous moods of the blurred boundary between human and animal, the landscape of Breath.
This book is an attempt to glimpse spaces, creatures, and places beyond the ego, flashes of insight beyond us, the last link in a long chain of thought and expression — independent, calm, indifferent, sacred moments, like shining stars, eternally present, transitory, translucent, wondrous, excellent.
The lizard with its flickering tongue is a powerful symbol of survival, wisdom, and the enduring human struggle between instinct and reason.
This work is a rich tapestry of poetic and philosophical reflections on the nature of the soul, consciousness, and the human experience, woven through vivid metaphors and the imaginal.
Silence is the lizard’s strength, a wondrous transformative force in a life of noise.
It explores themes of transformation, impermanence, grief, creativity, and the pursuit of meaning beyond the ego. The text intertwines personal introspection with universal insights, drawing on natural elements, sensuous spiritual traditions, and artistic expression to evoke wonder and interconnectedness.
I
The Role of Poetry and Art
Poetry and art serve as vessels of human experience, expressing pain, hope, and transformation. They capture fleeting moments of clarity and beauty, acting as a mirror and a sensuous language for the ineffable. The poet is likened to an olive tree growing slowly on the threshold of death, saluting every sunrise despite suffering. Artistic expression is an ongoing alchemical process, a brief blaze in constant change.
II
Nature, Creativity, and Interbeing
Nature is portrayed as a vibrant artist painting mountainsides with living colours and patterns, often neglected in a world of stereotypes. Creativity unfolds like flowing water or a dream, penetrating all corners of the universe to facilitate consciousness. The text emphasises the significance of creating new things with one’s soul tribe as a form of protest and expression. It also presents the concept of “Interbeings,” a new race living beyond conventional time, rooted in the wholeness and transparency of past, present, and future.
III
Spiritual and Philosophical Insights
The text references various spiritual teachings and philosophies, including insights from Virginia Woolf, John Vervaeke, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Jung. It discusses the Promethean curse of self-reflection, the necessity of suffering in transformation, and the balance between consciousness and unconsciousness. The sacred mandala and the Self as a living centre in the psyche are explored as pathways to infinity and integration.
IV
Symbolism of Natural Elements and Creatures
Throughout the work, natural elements such as mountains, rivers, flowers, and animals symbolise various aspects of the human condition.
The blue duiker represents messengers from realms of integral understanding, while the leopard’s heartbeat, synchronising with the author’s, symbolises a deep connection with nature’s mysteries. The olive tree, wildflowers, and the moon’s light are recurring motifs that embody patience, transformation, and illumination.
V
Practical Wisdom and Encouragement
The text offers practical guidance for living meaningfully amid chaos and uncertainty. It encourages patience, perseverance, and the ability to adapt to life’s darkness and light. It calls for showing up with fierce presence, embracing creativity, and nurturing the eternal child within. It emphasises the importance of loving speech, genuine listening, and cultivating kindness to benefit all beings and kindle light in the darkness.