Be free of you dark thoughts

Unburdened by lost hearts

Mind this world part by part

Ask if words are trickery or art

Quiet minds passing time

Becoming wiser thereby

Silencing the noise

Letting all thoughts fly

Staying still in one place

Never get out

Keep swimming unchanged

Drown in self-doubt

It's okay to cry

Rivers survive

Devils disguised

In moonlit lies

Born from the storms

In duplicitous forms

Demons and monsters

Poisonous thorns

Close your eyes

You can fly

Facing shadows inside

Nightmares die with another sunrise

I rise

from the Serpentine

a body

composed

with ten zillion drops

of H2O

transfigured

as material

immaterial

the remains

distilled

in finest

salt crystal,

falling from the eye

of the Dragon

inside,

Rising out, misted cloud

the scales of judgement

flying from the One

which breathes

the damning fire

the blowback

lighting the way

for those behind

in the fields

clawing,

at these scorched

and vital Barrens

waiting

for the rain

and auspice

in the prosperous

novel year

of Imaginary

creatures

01.10.2024

Loong 龙 Chen challenge @Last

She was born of the dragon

With that glint in her eye

A spirit of iron

Chin always held high

From the time she was birthed

We followed her 'round

A leader so natural

We subjects were bound

Her body was tiny

Her muscles were frail

The tissues oft failed her

The pain made her pale

And yet - she's a dragon

She won't be kept down

Her body might protest

But her mind wears a crown

She's smart as a whip

And quick as a dart

The fire in her words

Might just tear you apart

She's bold and she's fierce

She brave and she's kind

She loves without fear

A mercurial mind

She can't stand a bully

She sides with the meek

Her small knees might tremble

But the truth she will speak

For a dragon she is

Though her body is small

When no-one believes

She's still standing tall

Too clever to trick

Too stubborn to break

She always gives more

Than she deigns to take

She's born of the dragon

She's touched by the fire

And as long as she loves you

You're safe from her ire.

Years ago when dead rivers flowed into new valleys

And long-forgotten dynasties ruled the earth,

The Emperor held a race to find the 12 luckiest creatures.

All came from far and wide to prove their worth.

After four had crossed the line, the dragon swooped in

And claimed fifth place with pride;

The only animal we've banished to the mythological realm,

The ancient protector of the Emperor's bride.

In a twelve-year cycle, those born in the fifth year

Celebrate being born from the dragon's fire.

Families aim to create life in the year of the dragon

To bring good fortune and raise hopes higher.

People tend to fear the new year

Thanks to impossible resolutions and expectations,

But this new year of the dragon is poised to bring great success

To every home in every nation.

The hyacinths bud and bloom in the crisp spring air

And line the mountains that once housed the mighty beast.

The new year comes roaring in with a warm welcome

To bring luck to all from the east.

From Russian spy satellites,

And airplanes soaring by

The entourage that huddles close

In it's pursuit of fame or acceptance

Resembles the tail of a dragon,

Winding, and curling like some enigmatic

Crop circle,

Totally unaware of itself...

Similarly it is prophesied

That Fenrir the Fame wolf

Will kill Odin and destroy the world

In the forms of

Skõll and Hati,

The two ravenous wolf children

In never-ending pursuit

Of the Sun and the Moon...

If Skõll ever catches the Sun (Sol),

And Hati ever snatches up the Moon (gulp!),

Bottoms up,

They'll have their ravenous supper

And we'll all hit that high water mark...

Finis, finito...Adios!...

Ah, but Jörmungandr,

The World Serpent is also a child of

Loki,

Like the insatiable wolves,

And I like to think of him as a

Good Luck Dragon...

Oh Good Luck Dragon,

Please continue to reveal

The status of our humanity

Like a mirror to the soul!...

Help us see our saturation

In the darkness!...

Our permutation

In the humdrum!...

Help us infiltrate this Kingdom

Of the Blind

With your copious eyes that see

Through the many layered

Fabrications of society...

As you float and hover

So seamlessly through the skies

Unseen,

Staring down so childlike at

This Babylon that toxifies

With it's innumerable

Advancements...

Sometimes I catch a bit of scales

Become apparent in the sky

If I stare at nothing in particular,

And then perhaps a speck

Of your golden grin

Before you vanish into dark night...

Luck Dragon of the open skies,

You are the hope,

And guiding light...

Lead us into new respite

So we may find fresh favor

With God and nature, and all things...

This is your year,

Your magic sings

Inside us now

As you take hold...

1/2/23

Bunny Villaire

In the ancient realm where myths unfold,

A dragon's tale, in whispers, is told.

Chen, the dragon, in the lunar light,

Awakens legends, ancient and bright.

From Pangu's breath, creation spun,

Chen, in the cosmic dance, begun.

Scales of jade, a celestial sheen,

A guardian spirit, forever seen.

In the river's flow and mountains' might,

Chen soars, a symbol of ancient rite.

Amidst the clouds, where immortals dwell,

A dragon's magic, tales to swell.

Fu Xi's wisdom, like ink on scrolls,

Chen, in the Year of Loong, unfolds.

With Nuwa's grace, a tapestry spun,

A tale of prosperity, from moon to sun.

Nine sons of the dragon, spirits divine,

In the Year of Chen, their presence shines.

A dance of orbs, a celestial sight,

In the dragon's gaze, fortunes alight.

Journey through seas, a dragon's flight,

With Eight Immortals, under moonlight.

Chen, the guardian, in legend's embrace,

Guides the way with celestial grace.

In the peach orchard where time stands still,

Chen's breath, a zephyr, a tranquil thrill.

Dragon's wisdom, a gift bestowed,

In the Year of Loong, prosperity sowed.

From Xiwangmu's palace, celestial queen,

Chen descends, a vision serene.

In the heart of mountains, rivers wide,

The dragon's presence, an ancient guide.

As phoenix feathers softly fall,

Chen, the dragon, answers the call.

In the Year of the Dragon, prosperity reigns,

Legends and myths in celestial strains.

Fresh life of the new year,

I see the many fates you will achieve.

Allow me to make the path a little more clear,

Wieldier of fire I myself breathe.

Welcome, Little dragon.

Chase after what you believe,

Not letting others cow you,

Into abandoning that which you cleave,

This is the only way for success to be true.

Be Passionate, little dragon.

Do not walk as if in a waking dream,

Following blindly over crushed, broken souls.

Use your strength to swim upstream,

Even when the earth demands heavy tolls.

Be kind, little dragon.

In this life you will face a time in fear,

Weather by nature or the hand of man.

To your honorable course do not veer,

You belong to a greater plan.

Be brave, little dragon.

You will be given masks,

To wear in the light of day,

Used to complete many noble tasks.

Don them rarely, lest you become clay.

Be you, little dragon.

Do not let my words deter,

The world is a flavorful dish,

But now I must concur,

This is my final wish.

Be blessed, little dragon.

In the celestial realm where dragons roam and soar,

A Year of Prosperity knocks at the unsuspecting door.

Loong, the majestic symbol, takes its flight,

Chen, the Dragon, bathed in lunar light.

With scales that gleam, a resplendent sheen,

A creature of luck, ancient and serene.

In the tapestry of time, its tale is spun,

A celestial dance, a saga begun.

Born from the cosmos, where stars align,

Chen, the harbinger, a symbol divine.

Graceful in motion, a celestial show,

A dance of fortune, in the moon's soft glow.

In the heart of China, the dragon reigns,

A symbol of power, where prosperity gains.

With claws that grip the essence of might,

Loong weaves through realms, in the lunar night.

Golden orbs, the sun and the moon,

A cosmic ballet, a harmonious tune.

In the Year of the Dragon, fortune cascades,

Like a river flowing through emerald glades.

Majestic guardian of celestial gates,

Chen, the dragon, on destiny waits.

With wisdom profound, and eyes that gleam,

Navigating through realms, a mythical dream.

In the eastern skies, where lanterns sway,

The dragon's spirit leads the way.

Fortune's embrace, a gift from above,

A symphony of blessings, boundless love.

Through mountains and valleys, the dragon soars,

A beacon of hope, as the year explores.

With every beat of its mighty heart,

Prosperity blooms, a vibrant art.

In the Year of the Dragon, with wings unfurled,

Hope and abundance, across the world.

Chen, the symbol, in the lunar sky,

A tale of prosperity, soaring high.

So let the lanterns rise, let the fireworks blaze,

In the Year of the Dragon, prosperity stays.

Loong, the celestial dancer, whispers again,

A promise of joy, in the lunar domain.