The air was dank, the cavern dark,

Sounds echoed from inside,

And legend says these very caves

Are where the dragons hide,

Of course, I don’t believe in fairytales

Designed for children’s dreams,

Though something dwells within the dark

And makes these hellish screams,

So I summon up my courage,

Make ready and prepare

To solve the mystery of the caves

They call the Dragons Lair,

Though it’s said that many a valiant knight

Has lost his life within,

Their armour suite being no more use

Than parchment, wafer thin,

But with courage strong, I strike my flint

And thus ignite my torch,

Determined now to make the quest

To find the legends source,

Into the caverns depths I tread

And cautiously advance,

Shadows hide behind the rocks

And menacingly dance,

Each breath of air I take is foul,

Till scarcely dare I breath,

I make a mask of linen soaked

And draw breath through the weave,

This helps but still the acrid taste

Of sulphur burns my lungs,

And fear has never gripped so tight

Since I was very young,

Yet further onward still I go

Towards the bowels of hell,

See skeletons of valiant knights

Still lying where they fell,

Their armour plate and gleaming blades

Now little more than rust,

Their bodies are but frames of bone,

Their flesh decayed to dust,

Then from the caverns depths I hear

A sound to freeze the spine,

So feared am I my torch is dropped,

It’s light ceases to shine,

Then all at once the shadows

 Find their courage and converge,

My heart beats in my chest so loud

I think that it will burst,

I cannot see my hand before my face

And yet, still on I go,

I feel my way along the jagged walls

Of granite stone,

I hear the sound that froze my spine,

Much closer than before,

I trip and stumble on the bones

That strews the cavern floor,

‘Twas then I saw a blinding light

And felt it’s searing heat,

Felt the blisters forming

From my head down to my feet,

Saw my armour plate glow red

Like hot iron in the forge,

Falling to my knees

I had no strength to raise my sword,

I prayed between my suffered screams

That God might bring me rest,

And wished I’d never taken on

This sad foolhardy quest,

‘Twas then I saw the dragon’s head,

And watched it’s mouth go wide,

Felt the flame, the searing heat,

‘Twas then, I finally died.

By S.E. Ralph

25-9-2002