Where Dragons Rule
copyright 2011 by jon gutmacher

She asked if he could do the task
her words were strong
from start to last
to slay the dragon
came from the past
for all the world
to see

He bowed so deep
perhaps too much
but he was brave
and had the stuff
that lesser men
will always seek
but never ever
have

“I will” he said
his hand on sword
“For all to see, and for my Lord
I’ll have your kingdom
soon restored
for Valiant is my name!

And then he left
as others watched
from castle gates
the draw bridge locked
and archers high
on every stone
if dragon came
at night

He traveled long
thru hill and wood
and finally saw a stone
that stood
to mark the spot
where no one passed
for beyond
was certain Death

His horse too scared
would go no more
it cried aloud
with death in store
he had no choice
but to alight
and travel by foot
into the night

And gloom hung over
the mist moved in
and wolves howled loud
his head did swim
for dreams came hard
and trees did move
and shadows
came alive

He heard a crack of branch
nearby
and then . . . he heard
an awful cry
it broke his ears
it froze his soul
his heart did pound
it ran him cold

And then the apparition came
all dressed in black
without a name
with eyes glowed red
with bones for hands
it drank his soul
that night

Oh, brave, brave knight
What have we now?
You run from Death
to Him, you cow
For it is not
your choice this night
keep close . . . your sword
there’ll be a fight

Where good – not evil
will never win
you’ve come too far
t’were born in sin
And in this place
you’ll surely die
for Darkness rules
this realm

And shaking hard
took sword in hand
and climbed the hill
and saw the land
all bleak and dark
and stark and dead
it made him cringe
inside his head

And then the Dragon
did appear
Like a black death wall
It’s name was Fear
and without a thought
his sword – it fell
and the Dragon sent him
straight
to hell

For stories of knights
so brave and true
who slew the dragons
you thought . . . you knew
but that was all a fantasy
for a dragon is pure
Dark Death

No place on earth
could you try to hide
if dragons roamed the countryside
but live in places
long forgot
in desolation
where all things rot

And better there
than here today
Where dragons rule
let no man stay
For dragons
no knight can defeat
Where dragons rule
the land