by Susan Jarvis Bryant

I smell the Dragon smolder on the breeze.
I hear its talons scraping at the door.
I feel a gnawing shiver of unease
Torment my bones with all that I abhor.

I know the Dragon steals the very breath
Of those who will not melt within its roar.
I know it feasts on fruitful spoils of death—
Brave blazing hearts snatched by its razor claw.

The peaceful voice of reason told me so.
The stoic words of truth shone crystal light.
I know the torture heroes undergo—
I’m sickened by their devastating plight.

I feel the Dragon skulking just beneath
The fabric of our torn and ragged world.
I see its scaly form and jagged teeth—
I know its wings are wicked and unfurled.

Let’s draw upon the strength of Falun Gong
To beat the beast that silenced honor’s song.

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Recognized as 4th Place in FoFG’s 2022 Poetry Contest

Susan Jarvis Bryant is a church secretary and poet whose homeland is Kent, England. She is now an American citizen living on the coastal plains of Texas.