Overcoming Dragons

There is a cathartic release
When you face down your demons
Look them boldly in the eye
And claim them to be
Simply figments of your imagination
Grown up around fright and avoidance.

Triumph can be had
As you raise your fist
And pummel the gargoyled head
That taunts you with its venom
And tries to strip you
Of your sense of self.

Beyond the wasteland
That has been laid out
You see the ripped and peeled edges
It is then that you realize
That what you were seeing
Was a facade of fake reality.

Take hold of the gnarled edges
And pull as hard as you can
Behind you see the dragon
It is only smoke and mirrors
Fashioned out of styrofoam
To raise your hackles and send you scampering.

See the falseness fall away
See the light begin to penetrate
The gloom that once held you
Paralyzed with terror.
Now is the time to create
Your own story.

One that has you defeating
The dragons of your past
And moving forward into the light.

Lines = 33.


Prompt for: Feb 16 (Fyn) ▼

Subject or Theme: Overcoming Dragons -a dragon you've overcome, defeated, triumphed over!
Word(s) to Include: triumph, catharsis, create, beyond (or any derivatives of these words)
Forbidden Word(s): trust, pain, fear, abuse, hurt (or any derivatives of these words)
Additional Parameters:6 stanzas, at least 6 lines per stanza; final stanza of 3 lines. rhyming or not. Title MUST include the word 'dragon.'
This poem may end up being beyond an 18+ rating. It is okay as long as the 'intro' rating stays at 18 or below.
Remember, do not use forbidden words ANYWHERE, including title or the brief description.