Dragons

by ALJEAN MELTSIR

DRAGON with an ivory heart, cobra yellowed and old,
Knight whose horse was green and limbs enchanted,
Archer with bow of ice and arrow of gold,
Their presence challenged me,
And I defeated each, with chivalry,
When I was young.

At dawn the grass was wet where Caesar’s legions camped,
By noon a jungle grew, and lions rustled through it.
Out of the fog came pirates, just as they lit the lamps.
Battles the short day left
Unfought, I fought at night, before I slept,
When I was young.

Last week I found no gold where termites chewed the floor.
I had no time to look; no time to spare for dreams.
But I’ve got gold in the bank, ivory on the door.
At night, when I can’t sleep,
I drink warm milk, or I count sheep,
Or lie there bored.