Parts of Me

Dragon

I’ve been warned, many a time,

Of the dangers of looking in a dragon’s eye;

They’re pale yellow, you see, with a sprinkle of gold

And have been known to memorise folk untold.

’Twas my sister who told me of this first;

In her stories I was often immersed,

But this one, no, for I knew of the truth;

“Dragons aren’t real, and I’m not a youth!”

She told me to go and ask our mother

Which I did with much gladness, for opinion other

But she only confirmed what my sister had said

So I started to believe I’d not been astray led.

Dragons, Ma told me, were rare nowtimes seen

Except p’rhaps the hint of fire, or wing’s green gleam

But unwary folk could be led to lairs

And there they’d be successfully ensnared.

I’ve tried to warn my friends of the danger this poses

But they just tend to frown and turn up their noses;

They don’t believe what I know is true –

How do I know it? I will tell you.

Despite the insistence of sister and mother,

I still was sure it was a private joke, rather,

A cautionary tale to keep me safe at home

And so that way I would not explore and roam.

And so, most foolishly, like most people are,

I decided to show them they were wrong by far

And venture into the place they called, “Dragon’s Cave”

And perhaps even be thought of as brave.

I gathered my things up when night was dead

And time was ripe for adventure, then I said

(To myself, for I was the only one there):

“I will enjoy this, venturing into a 'dragon’s lair!' ".

Do you see? This is the mistake I made;

And for this mistake I dearly paid

For now I must be cautious ’round cavern and cave

And never again will I feel quite as brave.

The journey to the cave was uninterrupted and short

But during it I nearly thought

Of fear, because the night was dark

And I would’ve jumped at mention of dragon or shark.

Well regardless, I got there, and feeling quite proud

Entered the cave, and ventured to say out loud;

“Hello? Dragons? Are you there?

I’m here to visit your house and lair.”

A pale yellow eye peered out at me

And stuck on the spot, I found I could not flee

The eye was joined, gleaming, by another

And together they formed a most vicious pair of brothers.

Their pupils were slits, and I could not move,

My mind said Run! – my legs did not approve.

Something unknown had them caught to the ground

And that something also stopped me from making a sound.

I heard a dark slither from the shadows beyond

I thought of my mother; and for her I longed:

Hadn’t she told me to stay in after sunset?

And now the terrible dragon I’d consequently met.

Something stirred behind me; the dragon’s eyes darted

And whatever it had been, the beast wasn’t startled

But by that time I was running and away

I could yet live another day!

It was two birds that had broken the trance:

Mates, in a chirping morning dance

Those two birds saved me, they released

The dragon’s stare from me; so danger decreased.

Of course they could not save me from my mother

She’d woken without me and was incredibly bothered

And when she learned where I’d gone, she flew into a terrible fit

For she had been terribly worried about what I did.

But this is the warning which you must remember:

Dragons are true, with their glowing eyes like embers

And they are to be feared, what I say is true!

Remember what happened to me: it could happen to you.