Thursday, August 14, 2008

Poem of the Week: The Weeping Dragon

I wasn't going to do Melli's dragon hunt meme since I don't really have any dragons to photograph, but then when I was looking for the poem of the week in my collection, I found this one and even though I'm not that fond of it as a poem, I thought it might be a way to join in the dragon party. But or course there has to be a picture and I found this wonderful paper dragon head from an American Museum of Natural History exhibit. I didn't want to break any copyright laws, so I messed with it a bunch of times and made a collage of those efforts. If you click on it, you can see the real thing, which is quite beautiful. I found a very nice quilt too at another site.

So that's my dragon art and below is my dragon poem. I wrote this when I was pretty young.

THE WEEPING DRAGON


Weep, sad dragon,
Whose hollow belly holds fire,
Whose legend is mystery and fantasy

Weep, sad dragon
For you are forgotten.
Like all the flowers of ignorant imagining
We have vanquished you and left your bones
In a desert we no longer visit

Weep, sad dragon,
Not for yourself alone
For dying you were revenged
And took from us both dread and awe,
Hollow victories all around

Weep, sad dragon,
And may your ghost cries
Wake again our sleeping souls.

- Katherine E. Rabenau


As I was reading through the poem I remembered that it was written in response to a small brass dragon I had seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. I tried to find a picture of it but this is the closest I could come. It might have been this one, but I don't think so. I'm going to risk copyright violation and just post the picture untouched.

13 comments:

Jim said...

Hi Raven, I like your dragon. And your poem. Hunting dragons would be fun but I don't think I will have time.
WW, RRtu, and Skywatch are almost doing me in. Not the posting but the 'friends' who all need answering. I am glad I have found you and your blog, you post interesting things. [even though I might check in only on WW and RubyRed days.
Also I have my main blog with about thirty regulars, we don't leave comments every time, but do 'catch up' reading and comment then. Some are more often than others.
..

Carletta said...

What an excellent way to join in Raven - love the poem! Your first dragon pics are pretty cool - I like the bottom left one.
You're getting to enjoy that messing around with photos aren't you!
I haven't left my house since Melli started so I have none. Well, I do have one I just don't know in what box he's hiding right now. I'm looking tomorrow when time permits.

Melli said...

Ah HA! Isn't it WONDERFUL how dragon hunting brings out the creative thinking! I really DO love that dragon head - even if it's a cheat off the web! But the POEM is a FABULOUS dragon -- and ONE of a KIND!!! Thank you for sharing it! (and for joining in the hunt!) :)

Dragonstar said...

Your poem is very moving, and I like what you've done with the head you found. I'm going to have to try that sort of thing myself.

Anonymous said...

I love your dragons and the poem. I have been having a blast with Melli's dragon hunt.

Queen-Size funny bone said...

I have always thought dragons were sad creatures. You caught it perfectly.

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed reading your poem. It's great to me that looking at a piece of art brought out that creativity in your mind.

Jientje said...

I bet Melli will be pleased with that one Raven! I like what you did with with that picture, I like the dragons better your way than the original one! This is such a creative post Raven, congrats!
So that would be the easiest one of the week huh? It makes me wonder ...

Casdok said...

Poor dragon. Lovely poem.

Mojo said...

I never looked at dragons quite the same way after Mulan.
-Mojo

Anonymous said...

I rather enjoyed your poem, Raven. Great job. Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving your comments. :o)

Anonymous said...

Raven, the poem is quite good for the effort of a young person. You cover a lot of emotion in very little space.

I keep adding your eed to my feed-reader (Google) and it keeps spitting you out for some reason. I am marking your Wordzzle Challenges. I hope to play along next week.

Markus Latva-aho said...

I liked your dragon poem. I don't think I can hold a pen for anything else than signature my visa bill, but this I enjoyed. I always liked the somewhat sad story about the puff the magic dragon.