Malathar-The West Texas Dragon Goes To Town.©

A poem (sort of!)

In the big state of Texas,
Right near Abilene.
Lived a short pudgy dragon,
Not scary nor mean.

He lived in the cedars,
In the hills south of town.
He lived in the rock cracks,
That the water wore down.

His belly was yellow,
His scales were quite green.
The most dragony dragon,
That you'd ever have seen.

On his back he had wings,
And a short stumpy nose.
Small clawy hands,
And short clawy toes.

Now Malathar Dragon, 
That's his name, did I say? 
Just sat on his hillside.
In the trees, everyday.

He'd sit there just looking,
He'd sit there and stare,
He'd sit there and wonder, 
About that town over there.

By day he could see it,
By night hear it too.
He wanted to visit,
He had wings so he flew!

On Monday I think, 
He headed towards town.
Over Mesquites and broomweed,
Towards the lights, towards the sound.

The first thing he saw,
As he flew through the air.
Were cars on the high-way.
Little specks way down there!

He dove down to see one,
To see it up close.
It smoked just like he did,
When he breathed through his nose.


He flew down upon it,
He landed on top.
But the car kept on driving,
It never did stop!

He peeked in the window,
He peeked in and beamed.
There were people inside it,
When they saw him they screamed!

"There's a thing on our car,"
"A big dragony thing!"
"It's got sharp pointy fingers",
"And big flappy wings!"

The car started weaving,
He held on real tight.
The driver still driving,
Full of wonder and fright!

He slammed on the brakes,
The car skid to a stop.
He tried to keep holding,
But he flew from the top!

He hit the road rolling,
He bounced in the air.
He opened his wings and,
He flew fast from there!

Higher and higher,
Skyward he flew.
From the car and the roadway,
The driver  yelled "shoo!".

He continued his journey,
Way up high in the air.
Towards the town he was heading,
To that town over there!

Flying and looking,
Strange things down there now.
He flew up beside one,
It said, "Hi I'm a cow!"

"What's a cow?" asked the dragon,
As he blew out some smoke.
"What's a cow?", Asked the cow,
"Is that some kind of joke?".

"Why a cow is what I am,"
"No more or no less!"
"Being a cow is what I Do,"
"And they say I'm the best!"

"Could I be a cow?",
Said Malathar asking.
"Could I be a cow",
"In the sun, out here basking?"

"Why no!" said the cow,
"Who's seen such a thing?".
"You can't be a cow!",
"Cause you're green and have wings!".

Malathar sighed, 
And He hung his head low,
"If I can't be a cow then", 
"I guess that I'll go!".

He opened his wings. 
As he started to fly,
The cow smiled right at him,
With a twinkle in her eye.

"Why be a cow?",
"You're a dragon you see."
"And a dragon's much rarer",
"Than a cow will ever be!"

"So be glad who you are"
"Cause there's only one you!"
"Be happy with that"
"And you'll never be blue!"

He jumped in the air,
And looking right down.
Malathar noticed,
He was getting near town!

"Wise words from a cow",
Malathar thought with a moan.
"Wise words from a cow!",
"Why who would've known!"

He looked down below him,
And he saw a new thing!
People and music,
And a big gathering!

They were laughing and talking,
Out in the sunshine.
They were singing and dancing,
some were standing in line.

The people were happy,
In a jovial mood.
The line, it got longer,
At the end of it, FOOD!

Now dragons get hungry,
When they fly and they prowl.
And Malathar's no different,
His tummy started to growl!

He swooped in behind,
A big shed where the food,
Was served up to people.
In the jovial mood.

He stood in the shade,
Were noone could see.
He reached for a plate,
And got one for free!

From the top of a tree,
Where he couldn't be found.
He watched and he listened,
To the sounds on the ground.

He looked at his dinner,
That he'd gotten for free.
Bar-B-Q Brisket, 
Red beans and ice tea!

He gobbled it down,
And his tummy felt better.
He drank up the Ice tea,
His dry mouth felt wetter!

Far down below him,
A boy and a pup.
Played under the shade tree,
But never looked up.

What would you do,
If you saw tree limbs a saggin'.
Looked right up into them,
And spotted a dragon?

Wonder about it,
Yes wonder away.
But not one at that party,
Saw Malathar that day!

Again he was flying,
Way up on high.
Headed towards town
Flying up in the sky.

The city got closer,
The city drew near.
The houses and treetops,
Kids laughing he'd hear.

He looked down below him,
In a school yard right there.
He saw kites a flying,
Kites up in the air!

He swooped down to see them,
Got tangled in string.
Got caught up in kite tails,
What a terrible thing!

The kids didn't notice,
They thought it was "cool!"
The wondered which child,
Had a dragon kite at school!

They tugged and they pulled him,
They made him do hoops!
They yanked and they tugged him,
They made him do loops!

Up over and under,
Right left upside down.
Poor Malathar Dragon,
In kite string was bound.

He struggled and struggled
He yanked and he tugged!
He pulled and he wiggled,
Got splattered by bugs!

Finally deciding,
Only fire could free him.
He burned all the kite stings,
The children could see him.
 
Now children all know,
That a kite won't breath fire.
They saw a real dragon,
Caught up in that mire!

Some ran off screaming,
At what they'd just seen.
Malathar landed and said,
"I'm not mean!"

"I was just out exploring"
"Headed to town."
"Saw your kites way on up there"
"And headed right down!"

"I got caught up in them"
"I'm sorry to say."
"I didn't mean to scare you", 
"Please don't run away!"

The kids stopped their running, 
They turned and they looked.
At a dragon and kite bits,
Some of them cooked.

He picked up the pieces,
The kids grabbed some too.
He helped to rebuild them,
The Kites just like new!

They played there awhile,
Those children and dragon.
Until the bell rang,
And they left him, just standing'

"We're sorry to leave you",
"It's been so much fun"
"But the bell rang for class time",
"We really must run!"

All alone on the playground,
He looked all around.
He opened his big wings,
And rose from the ground.

The edge of the city,
Now lay down below.
He flew and he pondered,
"Now where will I go?"

Along the horizon,
The buildings grew tall.
He headed off for them,
Right over the mall.

More cars down below him,
Much more than before.
He knew what they were now,
He'd avoid them for sure!

Across buildings and treetops,
He flew across town.
He flew and he marveled,
At the stuff on the ground.

The buildings got taller,
And ahead he did see.
The roadways were blocked,
For a different party.

There were hundreds of people,
In the roadways downtown.
There were food booths and music, 
Decorations and clowns.

Malathar flew down to see it,
The party was loud. 
He landed to fast and,
Rolled into the crowd.

The people could see him,
What would they do?
He remembered the driver,
In the car who yelled "Shoo!"

A man reached down to him.
Helped him up and he said,
"You made quite an entrance".
"We though you were dead!"

"That's a wonderful costume"
"And you swooped in so low!"
"I never expected"
"To see such a show!"

"We  came to see trains",
"And artwork, that's true"
"But we never expected"
"To see something like you!"

Malathar asked him,
"Now what's going on?"
"Why's the roadway all crowded"
"With laughter and song?"

"It's a party you see"
"Art, and the railway!"
"So go and enjoy it"
"It goes on all day!"

So Malathar left them,
and headed on down,
The road that was packed with,
The fun and the sound!

He rode on a small train,
That went all around,
It was loaded with children,
From all over town.

He walked and he looked,
He pulled kids in a wagon,
And no one suspected,
He was a real dragon!

Just some a guy in a costume,
Is what they'd all say,
Just part of the show,
So he stayed there all day!

At the basketball game,
Someone tossed him the ball.
He dribbled and dunked it.
With a swipe of his claw.

He ate from the food booths.
Always for free.
Cause everyone thought that,
He was with the party.

He went in a building
Where they kept model trains.
He sat in the chairs where 
The band entertains.

He listened to music,
The sun started down.
He'd had quite a day,
When he came to the town.

People started leaving,
They started to go.
The party was over,
The end of the show.

He walked away slowly,
Cause he wanted to stay.
But the sun got all downy,
The end of the day.

So spreading his wings,
Upward Malathar hopped.
He rose from the street,
But for a moment he stopped.

He turned and looked back,
To see down below.
And standing below him,
Was one kid who would know.

It was a real dragon,
Came to Abilene that day.
To see trains and the artwork,
To laugh and to play.

He waved with a claw,
And he puffed out some flame.
The child waved back,
And yelled "What's your name?"

"I'm Malathar Dragon",
"And I live near your town",
"I had so much fun here",
"I'll be back around!",

And with that he was off,
To his hill south of town,
To the cedars and rock cracks,
That the water wore down.

The end