Autumn Time

The cavalry boy and the dragon, shoulder to scale, man to man
Drawn swords and teeth and wing span.
burn the village, burn the crops, burn the land, time will stop—
where nothing grows and nothing lives,
and dragons eat boys with minds like his.
no enemies, no friends, no waking nights
kill the boy and end his fright
the dragon is peaceful and slow and cold
warms his snout in the young man's bowel
lonely killer dead at last
time stops and spins
and walks past;
bowler hat tipped, cowl drawn
delayed too long, and blood borne.