The Sign of the Green Dragon
(I read this poem at the Green Dragon Sixteenth Anniversary Celebration on 24th May 2024)
I dwell beside this famous inn,
Close by its portal I reside,
But though I advertise its name,
Not once have I ventured inside.
Those folks who pass me every day,
Scarcely spare a single glance,
All in a rush to go right in,
To flirt, carouse, to sing and dance.
Oh, how I long to spread my wings,
To rise high up into the sky.
Alas, pinned to this wooden board,
I know that I will never fly.
On Fridays, right before my eyes,
Fireworks fizz beneath my nose,
Oh, how I’d love to add my fire,
Give ‘em a fright and singe their toes!
Once I did see as he passed by,
A fellow with a dragon kite,
A wondrous creature painted there,
To join her would be my delight.
Full sixteen years I’ve been confined,
To gently swing, when the wind blows,
The dreams I have of flying free,
None can imagine, no one knows.
In all that time that I’ve spent here,
Upon this post without complaint.
I ask of you now just one thing:
‘Please give me a new lick of paint!’
