Dragons Quest Poem by James Howden

From an ancient land of long ago, where myths and legends dwell,
there lived a proud and ancient beast, his story I have to tell.
Because of fertile mind, and foolish fear, and misconcepted lies,
Thousands of his kinfolk, from sharpened sword met their demise.

Forced to live a solitary life, in darkened caves or wooded glens,
five and forty years roll by, a solitary lonely life he spends.
Dismal blackened rocky walls, in muck and mire he lays,
Recounting forgotten fire and flight, and other dragon ways.

A yearning stirs from deep within, swirling mire of anger and rage,
No more hiding in this hellish, festering, rocky, dampened cage.
Lumbering from his craggy lair, anger, hope and fear combined,
He’ll vent his rage on man and beast, a mate he vows to find.

Through swirling fire, and burning home, past screams of death and woe,
He flies past town and country, killing and burning all below.
Years of pent up fury, thrust upon this meddling man,
From English coasts, American lands, to the mystic land of Japan.

Resting from his vengeful quest, where sea and land combine,
He hears a faintly kindred sound, heart pounding ancient whine.
With bellowing roar, and trembling wings, he soars towards the sound,
past primrose pine, and tree filled land, past fertile hill and mound.

There below his trembling frame, a long dreamt of vision of hope,
Lay the scaly beauty, languishing on a grassy slope.
A roar of exultation, as he spirals to the ground,
landing by this heavenly sight, just as she spins around.

They gaze upon each other, an eternity passes by,
and she finally flutters coyly, flying high into the sky.
Vengeful thoughts forgotten, as they fumble up above,
a hearty roar of contented bliss, as he flies off with his love.