Sorrows of the Chameleon

In this first poetry collection by Ella Wagemakers, some of the poems date as far back as 1984. Most of them, however, were written within the past five years. She chose the image of the chameleon because of the ability of this reptile to change its skin pigmentation. This occurs naturally, without the animal being able to control the phenomenon. The author compares this flexibility of disguise to the ability of people to adapt to their situations. This adaptability, however, may also result in an irreversible identity crisis.