Azure Dragon

Flying from the East

You ran through the clouds with great speed

Taking on the winds with wondrous wings

Passing them behind in your blue-ish attire

Color that measured with the skyline

All but the sun did not see your coming

And the Tiger

Yes, he saw you as well

Long left in the distance

Because he knew

He knew you would return

So the cat slept, awaiting you

The jade that collared him would wake him

When it was time

Long were his dreams of your many flights

Both old and new as you spread yourself towards the winds

Then back you came

Just as he knew

The jade heated in its frenzy

Knowing time had come now

The sun knew as well, much sooner in fact

Calling to wake the Tiger from his late slumber, they both did rise

He stretched and yawned

In dreams undone

Whilst feathering further was another dream to come

The dream he had dreamt with wide-open eyes

Many times

The east wind chilled you in your forgettings

Currents pushed you back, but you pressed on

Always so, yes, always

And the sun watched you in its morning glory

He saw too, the Tiger also, arching his back

Yawning

Solar knew that Tiger would gratefully return to rest

Not today

The sun drew down a hot wave of wakefulness

Unto this wiley cat, making him know

And Tiger’s eyes opened wide as thin clouds parted

The wind roared

From the parted clouds came an expanse of winged nature

You were home and Tiger growled in his knowing

You were bluer then the morning dawn

Darker almost black, yet still a brilliant azure

Bright as that color comes

You felt the Tiger shiver

You felt the heat of Solar too

And the cold East felt not so cold for you, as it did now for the cat

Solar smiled down on them as they came together slowly

The Tiger smiled, which is sometimes a warning

Not today

Not in his sleepy hazel eyes

Reviews

[Larry Dyson]

love this stanza"The east wind chilled you in your forgettings

Currents pushed you back, but you pressed on

Always so, yes, always

And the sun watched you in its morning glory

He saw too, the Tiger also, arching his back

Yawning

Solar knew that Tiger would gratefully return to rest

Not today

The sun drew down a hot wave of wakefulness

Unto this wiley cat, making him know

And Tiger’s eyes opened wide as thin clouds parted

The wind roared

From the parted clouds came an expanse of winged nature

[gombeggar]

thanks much...still growing accustom to getting back to folks, eclipse

[Marie Anzalone]

I read this and find myself musing about the Tiger... what it is a metaphor for, why it does each thing you have it do. You choose your words so deliberately there is no question that each action has a meaning; the writing is almost ceremonial in nature. I am left feeling like I walked into a surrealist painting where the horizon line is clouded so you cannot see what is coming. Or what was just left. I am just enough unsettled to be shaken into wondering what happens now. Nicely done!