The Dragon Who Played Soccer

( Children's Poetry -- Good for Bedtime. )


Last Saturday morning
was a terrible bore.
The cartoons were all reruns
and I'd done all my chores.

I went over to Billy's
but he wasn't home,
and no one at Tony's
would answer the phone

We'd usually be swimming
or riding our bikes.
On Saturday mornings
we do what we like.

So I grabbed my Soccer ball
and went on outside.
I thought I'd kick it,
against the wall a few times.

I kicked it hard
once just for fun.
Then something behind me
blocked out the sun.

I turned around
and what did I see?
Well I wasn't quite sure
but it was smiling at me.

It scared me more than a little
I'd say.
So I threw the ball at it
and ran away.

I was quite surprised
when he trapped it like that.
He juggled it 10 times,
and then passed it right back.

He was as tall as the house,
and as wide as the wall.
But man did he know
how to handle a ball.

Now he was still smiling,
which was quite a relief
Considering his height, and his width
and his breath and his teeth.

And just at that moment
he did something weird.
He spoke and he said
hey boy, kick it right here.

Well I did what anyone in my shoes
would have done.
I kicked it again
and started to run.

He said please don't do that.
I just want to play.
I love to play soccer,
please, please won't you stay.

Well I did and I'm glad,
that I decided to stay.
We played soccer
for most of the rest of the day.

We practiced our headers
our passes and kicks,
our throw-ins and dribbling
our juggling and chips.

When it was getting quite dark,
he spoke again.
This time I listened,
with the ears of a friend.

He said it was time
for him to depart.
and thanked me from the bottom
of his Dragon heart.

He said it's getting harder
to find someone who'll play,
and that he hoped that a league
would draft him someday.

He waved his short arms
and away he flew.
Now that was an experience;
awesomely 'kewl, and truly new.

[ Richard C. Johns, (C) 1997 ]