TEARS OF A DRAGON
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Poem written for and submitted to "Tears of the Dragon," poetry contest, Robert James Liguori, sponsor, 8/16/2025
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TEARS OF THE DRAGON
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shargenth the dragon, once a figure of dread, is now guardian of our village, a mystical place where the mountains greet the sky. She has a gentle way about her, a lumbering patience and grace. In the summer, she sits on rocks languishing in the sun’s warmth, dozing for hours. In winter she hibernates, having fed on elk in the autumn months. Villagers always know when spring arrives, for she awakens by calling in the hills, her deep voice, beautiful in its rawness, echoing from the rocks. Shargenth is our protector, often shedding tears for us—her flowing tears joining the river and lake below.
&&&&&&&&
At twilight Shargenth stirs, slowly unfurling her wings.
I ascend the mountain and stand before her,
the keeper of truths,
her eyes molten pools of understanding.
In the quiet of the moon’s embrace,
Shargenth’s eyes suddenly darken
reflecting the fears I clutch.
She weeps—not tears of empathy and sorrow,
but a cleansing rain,
each drop a cathartic release.
Sargenth tremors, bowing her great head.
From her molten eyes,
more tears form, cascading like rain,
each drop a regret,
a moment I thought too heavy to bear.
Tears pool at my feet, crystalline and shimmering,
reflecting the ghosts of choice I made,
paths not taken, and
the weight of what could have been.
I watch as Shargenth’s tears evaporate into the earth,
the soil drinking deep,
absorbing the essence of my burdens.
Sargenth lifts her gaze,
a knowing look, as if to say,
"Let go, dear one,
for even the fiercest of us
must shed our weight,
must live with
with the lightness of being."
The air shifts,
a breeze whispering through the trees.
The last of my worries slips away,
dissolved in the tears of a creature
that understands
the beauty in the shedding
and the strength of letting go.
Copyright © Sara Etgen-Baker | Year Posted 2025
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