Dragons Breath

Once upon a time a dragon wept;
fair maidens never seemed to understand
why elder set appointments went unkept
(his fervent wish, let sacrifice be banned).
The errant knights who wandered on strange quests
amused him with their pennant, shield and lance,
one hiccup as his hurried lunch digests
would have Sir hot-foot skip a comic dance.

No entertaining tin-can with a spear
could woo him from a woeful want of sleep
at length he sadly quit this sordid sphere
as villagers' vile stories cut too deep.

Then: heroes battled monsters to the death.
Now: faded fairy tales of dragons’ breath.