Dragon

Some days the fire in me

flickers out, darkness a kingdom

I don’t want to visit.

My mind’s a cave of weak light,

muffled weather. From the shadows

my mother’s bones

gleam her violent goodbye

but I still don’t know what wakes it —

this thing inside me

that heaps rage onto a pyre

and makes destruction blaze.

I still don’t know why

when it’s over I slink back to safety —

stolen swords and chain mail

stuffed under my wings,

my belly bloated with blood

I don’t need. At night I polish the silver

until the useless shines.

In every spoon I see myself —

scales that glow green as envy,

body turned small and upside down.

*

Originally published in Mud Season Review

Fun Facts: The word “dragon” regularly makes lists for the most commonly used passwords. If you’re curious, check out this article in Wired. According to security consultant Mark Burnett:

I believe in my book I even listed hundreds of passwords that contain the word ‘dragon. People often base their passwords on something that’s important to them; apparently dragons fall into that category.

I confess to an obsession with dragons that borders on unhealthy. But I promise you the word dragon isn’t one of my passwords. :)

Dragons are known as tremendous hoarders. They especially love shiny objects and in mythology they often guard treasure. The Greek word drakon (which is the origin of the English word) even means “the watcher.” Maybe this unconscious association is why so many people use "dragon" to protect their data.