Dragon Stew
On an early morning just before school
My tummy is churning my head hurts too
My feet are cold my forehead is hot
I have a runny nose and a tongue with blue dots
“Mom come quick!” I helplessly shout
I think I’m sick what is it now
Mom feels my forehead looks at my eyes
“Oh my! “ She says about that tongue of mine
“You will go to Aunt T’s I have to go to work
Aunt T’s magically keen about the healing of hurts
I’ll give her a call and see if she’s there
Or miss work that’s all to get you doctor’s care”
“Oh not the doctor!” I say “I don’t want to go
The people are nice but the time goes slow”
“Aunt T is home.” My mother says relieved
She hangs up the phone and we go to Flint St.
Where my Aunt T lives a house on the hill
That my great grandfather Terry built
As mom pulls up sitting there on the porch with her tea
Is Aunt T full of love always welcoming me
Once before with fever I was sick
Aunt T told mom how to get rid of it
What a sight I was then with chicken pox itchy
Bathing in the tub pretending to be to be at sea
I had bronchitis once and played video games
The ouchy ear infections no match for cartoons on the brain
And with the flu oh me oh my
All I wanted to was sleep and sigh
Mom kisses me and Aunt T goodbye
She gets off work at half past five
Aunt T looks and begins to think
Gets her book of recipes near the sink
She says,“It is a rare illness but much like a cold
You need the quickness of holy water and hope
You need a special prayer and plenty love which you got
And dragon stew with potatoes hot from the pot”
“Dragon stew! “I exclaim “Oh what a funny name
There is no such thing as dragons Aunt T
So dragon stew simply jut can’t be”
Aunt T laughs and then she winks
“Well it’s a long story she says but I think
If you listen well you will understand the tale”
The story goes like this.
There is a boy about your age
Who went to bed and did not pray
In the night he got a scare
A terrible fright from a horrible nightmare
The Lord keeps him safe from all harm
Because God loves children still the boy is alarmed
He shouts out loud to Mr. Nightmare man
“Stay out of my house my sleep my land”
Nightmare man laughs so
For he can steal the boys sleep and kill the boys hope
Making the boy tired and weak
Nightmare man is able to steal joy
Never again would be the happy boy.
Nightmare man retorts
“Your sleep belongs to me
And when you don’t pray I leap
With joy at another soul hat may be mine in a decade or so”
“You can’t have my soul I belong to me and I am bold”
The boy says with such a vain
That Nightmare man laughs and laughs till pain and says
“Bold are you is that a fact where is your army of men
For if you want your soul back you must slay a dragon to win
Unless that is you are a weak little scared cat
Which deep in your heart I say you are that
"I am not!" with anger boy shouts
"Where is the dragon bring it here now?!"
Then with a big boom a red dragon appears in the room
It is so tall and huge the boy’s eyes fill with fear and gloom
He tries to fight it throwing toys and dodging it
With aped the boy narrowly escapes
Running into the closet where boy begins to pray
"Lord I repent from being vain
Forgive me Lord and help me change"
Then there is a noise so boy peeps around the door
And sees the dragon begin to shrink
Into a little dragon fly that is not mean
Nightmare man disappears
With him goes anxiety and fear
The dragonfly buzzed around quick
Still the boy did not kill it
For the Lord saved and blessed the boy
Who believes in the power of prayer of course
The little boy is happy and the dragonfly lives
For the Lord will slay your dragon blessing you and it
Aunt T goes outside to get an herb
Tells me to close my eyes and listen to her words
"God loves you He is the power within
With him and dragon stew you will be well again."
I didn’t know it but while the story was being told
Aunt T made stew with dragonfly crackers and cloves
She uses hot sauce tomatoes onions and rice
Special bones broth parmesan cheese and spice
It taste so good I ate it all
Fell asleep and dreamed happy and tall
Maybe it was her stew or it could have been her wit
20 years ago that day I knew why dragon flies really live
Dragons test our faith and force us to choose life
For using right or wrong ways affect how you live and die
Yes from that day forward never forgot what I was told
Aunt T now with the Lord and in me her essence and words of gold
That is how it came to me use my gifts to do good will
Especially the day I did see the dragon in my boss O’Neal
He was at work sick boy did everyone know
Bob O’Neal was being a jerk more than usual so
Lunch time came and we look forward to relief
But Bob is yelling at Ann for his tuna sandwich is on rye bread not wheat
.
I see Anne’s face is a strawberry of anger frustration and tears
Upset she storms away thinking why do I work here?
I see Bob the dragon there in a two thousand dollar suit
Roaring like a hungry bear so I walk in there and offer him stew
Bob looks a bit green as if he is fatigued
Lonelier than mean love and friends he needs
He begins to smile when he tastes it at first
Then he lap it down as if a terrible thirst
Has jumped from his heart and wrapped up his soul
The fear of God in the stew has blessed Bob with hope
He leans back in his chair
Made a loud burp sighs
Says "excuse me" and sits there
"My mom use to cook like that
She died many years back
Forgot what love tasted like
Who made the stew was t your mom or your wife?"
I saw the dragon begin to shrink
I say," It’s my aunt’s recipe."
I tell him its true and he asks for it
I write it down fast but share there is one trick
"You have to share the stew or it is no good
Since Anne works with you with her share you should."
Bobs face is beet red he knows how mean he was
He pages Ann instead
Telling her to come on up
Bob Seats Ann in his chair
And serves her dragon stew
Made us all laugh with flair
With his with that we never before knew
Everyone got a raise that day
It was a blessing for all
Even I must say I did not really know the boss
Until he sat down and ate a little stew
And I listened despite his temperamental mood
The office now has a soup bowl in the basement
We give stew to those who want and love to taste it
We sale the dragon stew mugs candles and a new chili
But my favorite is a new fragrance great stuff
We call it dragonflies and lilies
It is the newest tool in chemical war fare
Instead of guns we use love and dragonflies and lilies with care
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