I wrote this children’s poem after encountering a painting by a colleague. She titled her work “A Sick Burn,” which ignited the amateur poet within me. As a fan of Tolkien, you might notice echoes of a more benevolent Smaug in this piece.
Far in the woods, on a mountain high,
Lived a serpent, beautiful and shy.
She led a simple life with friends so few,
“Don’t disturb her,” the villagers knew.
Then came Tom, the bully of the town,
“I’ll spit on her and bring her down.”
The elders warned to stay from her sight,
But bully Tom still sought a fight.
He climbed the mountain with a war cry,
The serpent was sleeping nearby.
He threw a stone, but it went amiss,
The serpent gave a fearsome hiss.
Before Tom could take another turn,
The serpent gave a very sick burn.