Invisible Dragons In Your House

Invisible Dragons In Your House


If there's a shimmer in the air,
but when you look, nothing is there,
or if you feel a cold, wet nose
and scold the dog, who's nowhere close,
or little claws prick at your feet,
but all the cats are sound asleep,
as sure as cheese is loved by mouse
there is a dragon in your house.

Dragons are not shy, you know,
but they are quick, and we are slow;
and their idea of a joke
might be to give you quite a poke;
then, while you spin and squeal and scowl,
two giggling dragons snort and howl.

The younger dragons come in pairs:
like unseen kittens, they'll race the stairs;
while their antics on the kitchen floor
send real cats racing for the door.
The love to crawl two walls and glow
until the dog looks from below;
then back and forth you'll see him peer
at dragons you cannot see nor hear.

An older dragon's more dignified,
but still, he loves to take and hide
those shiny, pretty things they prize:
rings and earrings, marbles, keys.
But since big dragons work alone,
they usually take only one.
So if someone has quite a collection
of unmatched earrings, here's the question:
if cheese, not jewelry, is loved by mouse
could there be a dragon in your house?

If there are dragons in your home
you'd best move over and make some room;
for, dragons love their lairs, and stay
long after people move away.
To make friends with your dragons, then,
make up a tiny dragon's den,
and put there all the lovely stuff
of which no dragon can get enough:
shiny coins and colored stones
fragrant sticks of cinnamon,
peppercorns and tarragon -
these are things that dragons dote on.

For, if a dragon shares your nest
and loves you well,
then you are blessed.
No thieves will dare to come inside,
no bad things dare in closets hide,
since dragon laughter, wild and warm
with joy protects you from all harm.




Sarah Unsworth MacMillan
2002/2009