The Dragon

It was once upon a time
That the tale took place
When the fireman
The player and worker of fire
Stood the ground and
In mighty embrace took upon himself
Arrows
With their tips venomous
And burning.

He had committed a heinous crime
As he performed his daily routine
Of oiling his throat
From the inside
And spitting out
On the rods of fire
Which in turn
Turned into dragons
With fire-breaths and fuming heads
And eyes dangerous.

Such was his play
That people came
From far away lands
To watch the dragon raise it’s head
And look them in the eye
Then with a puff
Vanish in the air
Head to tail.
The victory of human over animals.

A little girl
Watched his show
Interested greatly she came daily
Only to try and tame the dragon.
She liked his head
And his horns
The flap of his wings
And his hot breaths
Smelling of kerosene.

But every time she put forward
Her hand to touch
The mystical creature disappeared
Sucked into the space
Leaving no trace of
His being and existence.
And left the little girl
Sad, angry and desperate.

She carefully noticed
The arrival of dragon
Everyday
And the paths he took
Before dying.
So she knew what to do
When she came on the ungrateful day
Ready to make the dragon hers.

Without the fireman noticing
She stood
In the front row and waited.
And just in time
As the dragon came out
She put forward her hand
Hoping to caress the monster
And make him hers.

The silken threads on her sleeve
Covering her little hands
And the young woman in her
Were just like her
Always wanting to play
With fire.
And so the gown played
And played so high
That the flames engulfed the little girl
And those around her.

It was then
The fireman was ordered
To repay in kind
To those never returning.
But the fireman never rebelled
Didn’t speak a word
For his throat was laden with guilt
And a conscience
Too heavy to bear.

Just as the burning arrow
About to reach his chest
And pierce through the muscles
To cease the beating heart
The fireman gave
All those who watched
A show of fire
Like none had seen.

He caught the arrow by his hand
And spit out a fountain
With the burning tip as catalyst
He called upon the spirit
Again.
The dragon came
And united with him
And rose high in the air
Spiraling and fuming.

It opened its wings
And stretched them full
And flew across
Meandering, swaying.
Those who saw him in the eye
Swore them sad
But too late
For the dragon disappeared again
As it always did
And left fumes in the air
Of the shape
I pay in kind.

picture courtesy:http://ayuriching.blogspot.com/