Dinosaur Bones

June 8 2011

But there were no dragons.

Nevertheless

they donned their amulets, and chain mail,

sallied forth to slay them,

wrote odes

to vainglorious bravery.

Encomiums

which have outlasted them.

So we still imagine dragons,

breathing fire

swooping down, on bat-like wings

lethal tails trailing.

Because what else could it possibly mean

when they stumbled over dinosaur bones

disgorged

from freshly ploughed soil,

but giant lizards

bestriding the earth

who are no more,

dispatched by courageous warriors

centuries ago.

Proving the truth

of the boastful poets

their stoic knights.

  . . . Come, I will tell you story

about thinking machines

that come to life.