Invisible dragons could be in your home - a poem for children. |
Invisible Dragons In Your House If there's a shimmer in the air, but when you look, nothing is there, or if you feel a cold, wet nose and scold the dog, who's nowhere close, or little claws prick at your feet, but all the cats are sound asleep, as sure as cheese is loved by mouse there is a dragon in your house. Dragons are not shy, you know, but they are quick, and we are slow; and their idea of a joke might be to give you quite a poke; then, while you spin and squeal and scowl, two giggling dragons snort and howl. The younger dragons come in pairs: like unseen kittens, they'll race the stairs; while their antics on the kitchen floor send real cats racing for the door. The love to crawl two walls and glow until the dog looks from below; then back and forth you'll see him peer at dragons you cannot see nor hear. An older dragon's more dignified, but still, he loves to take and hide those shiny, pretty things they prize: rings and earrings, marbles, keys. But since big dragons work alone, they usually take only one. So if someone has quite a collection of unmatched earrings, here's the question: if cheese, not jewelry, is loved by mouse could there be a dragon in your house? If there are dragons in your home you'd best move over and make some room; for, dragons love their lairs, and stay long after people move away. To make friends with your dragons, then, make up a tiny dragon's den, and put there all the lovely stuff of which no dragon can get enough: shiny coins and colored stones fragrant sticks of cinnamon, peppercorns and tarragon - these are things that dragons dote on. For, if a dragon shares your nest and loves you well, then you are blessed. No thieves will dare to come inside, no bad things dare in closets hide, since dragon laughter, wild and warm with joy protects you from all harm. Sarah Unsworth MacMillan 2002/2009 |