Monster Slayer: George

A Poem by redzone

MONSTER SLAYER: GEORGE

Summer clouds,

billowing white, amidst

a blue ocean,

speak in the language of

rabbits, turtles, whales

of knights and warriors.

Moving slowly

with majestic determination,

calling all to look,

imagine

and create

those night time lullabies

to help small children

sleep

and not fear

those monsters

in the closet,

under the bed,

or in the room

down the hall.

***

All too quickly

they learn the monsters

are real, alive and well;

are the ones sitting

on the edge of the bed

singing of woodland creatures,

pretending their sharpened teeth

don’t leave scars that

never ever heal.

***

As a young boy

I would watch those billowing

white clouds

and imagine knights and warriors

carrying sharpened,

double edged swords,

advancing on this ocean blue

as they headed to my best friends bedroom

to cut off the heads

of these monsters

and stop those sweet lullabies.

***

Today, summer clouds

hung, draping their whiteness

in such a way

I saw your face.

A tear streaked your cheek,

but the there was also a smile.

I remember you pitching fast balls

that hurt my catchers hand,

as batter after batter

swung and missed.

You were that good.

I remember us mixing a

toxic concoction

with my chemistry set

and killing a colony of ants.

It was a masacre.

That night we both had nightmares

of ant armies seeking revenge

and swore we would forever

protect all life

as penitence.

For a while

we were best friends.

***

This was before

the monsters came.

You were 11,

in fifth grade when

you finally fought back.

After the monster attacked

your mother and sister,

you found your sword.

As in the epic tale of George the Dragon Slayer,

the battle was fierce;

blood everywhere;

but George,

the boy with the lightning fast ball;

the boy who apologized for killing ants;

did the bravest thing of all -

he slew the monster!

***

George -

you were my best friend

and I have never seen you again.

I never got to tell you

I was so happy you won!

George -

you taught me to be brave;

to stand against all monsters.

~~redzone 4.12.14

**Note: The other day when it was so warm and spring-like, a memory from long ago floated around in my mind. His name was George S., and for two years, he was my best friend.

I wanted you to meet him, and tried in a more poetic form to tell you some about him. He came from another country. He, his mother and sister had fled from his father who abused them. But he found them and for a short time things were ok, until the horrors began again.

This poem is for all who know what abuse and oppression is and have survived because of your courage in battling these monsters. It is also for all those who in one way or another have not been able to this, in spite of their heroic efforts. Our hearts are yours forever!

George, where ever you are, THANK YOU. Cause at a very early age, you showed me what it means to be brave and to stand up against injustice and abuse.