First, an apology for not being up to date answering your comments – I promise to catch up by the end of the week!
Three Word Wednesday asked for poems containing these words: Might, Passive, and Flag. Took some liberties with those words… let me know what you think, especially after you decode the definition below (if you’re not a Wisconsinite, that is!) Amy
Dragon’s Breath
A Dragon’s breath is rancid
Stifling, smells like hemlock that’s
been brewing too long
Dragons hate Badgers, tough little guys
who burrow so fast their escape routes
to dodge the Dragon’s flames
Badgers have claws so long and hard,
rodent talons that can scrape Dragon’s tongue
into ribbons of blood and leathery flesh
One particular Dragon, draggin’ in riches
from Wizard Brothers, shows off his
shiny scales and mighty bearing
Badgers are not passive. They have seen
Dragon burn through other Badgers’ lives
like fodder, trying to scare the rest
back into holes, to render them unnoticed,
inconsequential. But Badgers’ tenacity
will stand to fight as one:
They will chase the Dragon from
their own flagged castle, as the Golden Lady
points the way to a better future
© 2011 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
NOTE: For non-Wisconsinites, our state is engaged in an effort to recall the current governor, Scott Walker. The Dragon is obvious; the hemlock, well, you can draw your own references, although the Wizards are the Brothers Koch, who funded the Tea Party, then helped them look like a grassroots effort, when in fact it’s more like a perfectly manicured lawn. The Badgers are the namesake of many sports teams, including our UW College team, and also refer to everyday, six-pack Wisconsinites. The Golden Lady is “Miss Forward,” a statue atop our “castle,” the Capitol Dome here in Madison. She bravely points the way forward… wearing a helmet that has a BADGER on it! How cool is that?
Sharp Little Pencil 
contemplativemoorings
Love the metaphors…go Badgers 🙂
Sharp Little Pencil
Ha! Go Badgers, indeed. I have a little Bucky Badger shirt… Lex has a tie clip he wears under this robe at church, but the robe isn’t used at the contemporary service, so the I and the rest of the band groove on it, along with our members, who are growing in number!! Thanks and peace, Amy
Debbie
A helmet with a badger on it??? That IS cool! Good job as always , Amy!
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Debbie. Yes, it’s true. The Badger is everywhere here. Incredibly stubborn, tenacious little guys. I love them as much as I love the folks they represent! Peace, Amy
Altonian
That’s a punchy poem. I have always liked badgers, in fact they are one of my favourite animals – I’m glad you have lots of them in Wisconsin. You’d better lend some of them to NAACP so that they can fight against the 14 states that are disenfranchising people!
Sharp Little Pencil
Oh, darlin’, we need our Badgers here. People are circulating petitions to unseat the governor that they intend to shred (this being a felony, they think nothing of it anyway). And yes, the NAACP needs all our help – Wisconsin is (thanks to the governor) one of the state attempting to disenfranchise anyone not Anglo, be they black or Hispanic – as well as all students. I despair for our country… thanks, Amy
kaykuala
Amy,
Now that you’ve explained it in your notes I’m beginning to see it as a verse of high caliber. You had cleverly weaved it around the many real life episodes making it uniquely different from others. I could picture the Capitol Dome seeing it from a distance (was in Madison for a visit once a long time ago) I couldn’t see the details then as we were being driven around. It rekindled some memories though.
Hank
Sharp Little Pencil
Dear Hank,
Isn’t the view of the Dome (especially lit up at night, from across the lake) a magnificent sight? I’m not usually impressed with expensive architecture, but I do so love Miss Forward glistening atop, all golden and lovely… with her badger helmet.
I knew the notes were necessary… many poets use them when colloquial expressions (or local situations) are posed, and my hope was realized… you garnered the true meaning of the symbolism from those notes. Thanks so much for this, Hank. My next goal is to try for a “high-caliber” poem which needs no explanation, one that stands on its own! But proud to let folks everywhere know of the continued local struggle. Peace, Amy
Jae Rose
I enjoyed reading as a mythical tale..I love how you play..how perhaps we all have our own dragons..slayers..and Golden Lady’s to lead forth.. Jae
Sharp Little Pencil
Yes, I found an inspiration in mythology to bring a new focus on Madison’s maddening strife with our stiflingly stupid Gov. Scott Walker! Ha! Inspiration comes at various and unpredictable times. Thanks, my dear. On to slaying (that is, recalling) the Dragon. Enter the Dragon Recaller! ha ha Amy
Old Egg
This literary swipe at right wing politics in Wisconsin is something which we have come to expect from you and you do it with zest. The ugliness and corruption of politics everywhere is a worldwide phenomena. That precious freedom to choose our own destiny has been hijacked by the worst in human nature for their own ends with us for the most part powerless to fight the might of this evil. Thank God for your voice crying in the wilderness. Keep your back to the wall.
Sharp Little Pencil
Want to hear a good one? You can not carry signs, signs pinned to your shirt, cell phones, cameras, BIKE LOCKS (some students fastened themselves to a bannister with U-locks) or various other items into the Capitol chambers.
You may, however, carry a loaded, concealed gun. Gov. Walker signed the Concealed Carry into law a month ago, and there is no required training. See Scott run. I’m telling you, I’ll keep saying it until they listen! Thanks for your support, Robin. Peace, Amy
judithhb
Thanks Amy – very clever. The notes made it all make sense.
Sharp Little Pencil
Judith, thanks so much. I knew folks from outside Wisconsin would need explanation; otherwise, it was simply too obtuse, what with the Dragon vs. the Badger! Peace, Amy
zongrik
Dragons are so cool. Do you like Eragon and the books of Anne McCaffrey
Sharp Little Pencil
I am not into Eragon (I’m 55, not really into the latest fantasy works), but I do love Anne McCaffrey and also Ursula K. McGuin, as well as the immortal Philip K. Dick! Peace, Amy
Sheilagh Lee
Ilove the imagery comparing them to these creatures.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Sheilagh. I felt the notes below were needed to “decipher” the context, though… Peace, Amy
Renee Espriu
Thanks for the explanation, Amy, and now I know how it is in your neck of the woods it all makes perfect sense…serious, amusing…well, it is politics, isn’t it. 🙂
Sharp Little Pencil
You’re right. My mom had a great expression for politics, et al.: “Funny as a crutch.” That about says it all, especially here!! xo Amy
brian miller
nice…a fine poem..and even more so knowing your reference points along the way…dont trust a politician, its not you they think of its by whom they get paid…
Sharp Little Pencil
Amen, brother. Thanks for the compliment!
As for politics, I don’t care what party: You can tell a politician is lying because his/her lips are moving! Peace, Amy
Daydreamertoo
Very clever, I had no idea this was about politics and politicians. Very nicely said.
Sharp Little Pencil
DD, it does take a healthy amount of cynicism to think of politics right away. This makes you a well-balanced person. Congrats!! Peace, Amy
Berowne
Excellent politico stuff — but I’m glad you provided a gloss. 🙂
Sharp Little Pencil
Berowne, thanks for this. You know what a political animal I am… but the dragon came into view and I didn’t look back. Thanks so much! Amy
Lindy Lee
Badgers are very interesting creatures, scavengers tough, resilient, enduring and their diet is not one to be envied in the least but admired none-the-less. Am familiar with the issues in Wisconsin you mention, as news junkie could be my name…
Dragon’s Breath, very clever & fun to read…
Sharp Little Pencil
Lindy, glad you know from badgers – and from politics…!
thanks for the visit, and sorry the reply comes so late. I’m coming to see you now! Peace, Amy
Madeleine Begun Kane
What a clever poem!
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Mad! It came out of nowhere, in a sense… the 3WW words called out to me in that context. Lucky break!! Peace, Amy