cantus draco

If you ever meet a dragon late at night,
Late at night,
You’d better hope he’s not been on the booze,
‘coz if he has he’ll probably just flame you,
He’ll just flame you,
It’s really not a fight that he can lose.

So be polite and treat him all respectful,
All respectful
Don’t call him names or tread upon his toes,
‘coz if you do he’ll probably just flame you,
He’ll just flame you,
It’s really not a fight that he can lose.

If between his teeth you see your daughter’s clothes,
Daughter’s clothes,
There’s really not much point in getting sore,
‘coz if you do he’ll probably just eat you,
He’ll just eat you,
He’ll always have the room for just one more.

If he burns your home and eats up all the family,
All the family,
Don’t track him down to even up the score,
‘coz if you do he’ll probably just eat you,
He’ll just eat you,
He’ll always have the room for just one more.

If he’s still there in the morning hanging 'round,
Hanging 'round,
You could try to run away or call the pound,
But if you do he’ll probably just flame you,
He’ll just flame you,
And stomp your charring ashes in the ground.

So stay away from dragons is my motto,
Is my motto,
For life to stay quite healthy above ground,
‘coz if you don’t a dragon will just flame you,
Will just flame you,
And scrape your charring ashes in a mound.

Have you been drinking from Biggus' well? Nice going, sounds like you had fun,
had fun
writing it!

This piece is humorous in a light-hearted way, but I have a question. It's not the first time I've noticed, but why have there been so many variations of an abbreviation for "because" lately? Earlier in the week, one LitNetter wrote it as "cos." I always thought that the abbreviation was " 'cause " -- with an apostrophe before the c. (The apostrophe always means that one or more letters have been left out. That applies even for
possessives; until late medieval times, "John's hat," for instance was written as "Johnes hat," the
modern apostrophe indicating that the "e" in the
possessive ending has been dropped.)

By now you and the rest of the LitNet must think I'm the geekest of all the Grammar Police!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AuntShecky

By now you and the rest of the LitNet must think I'm the geekest of all the Grammar Police!

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Nothing wrong with staying pure Auntie.

As I have given more than a nod to the past with my Gilbert and Sullivan reference, I thought I'd give a wink to the 21st century rappers of the bling generation. Don't worry though, it's not contagious.

Thanks my Prince, glad I gave you a giggle.

H

Sound advice if you ask me. Dragons are nothing to be triffled with!

Unless of course you possess a handful of jellybeans, which everyone knows are a dragons favorite treat. In which case you will probably be just fine

G’day, Nax,

Although it may be true that dragons
Favour jelly beans,
You have to catch ‘em young to form the habit.
But raising dragons from a chick is
Not an easy job,
If it was there’d be more people that could do it

When a dragon reaches puberty it’s
Really quite demanding,
Your stock of jelly beans then must be vast.
For if it’s not, his appetite seeks
goodies where it can,
The consequences, not what you might ask.

When your dragon reaches teenage years
And you are still alive,
You really shouldn’t take him down the pub.
Don’t let him drink of spirits or strong beer,
For heaven’s sake,
As a dragon’s just a pain when he is drunk.

So heed these words of wisdom and it’s
Possible you’ll live,
For if you don’t you surely won’t survive.
Raising dragons round the house can be
A perilous pursuit,
You have to be prepared to pay the price.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AuntShecky

It's not the first time I've noticed, but why have there been so many variations of an abbreviation for "because" lately? Earlier in the week, one LitNetter wrote it as "cos." I always thought that the abbreviation was " 'cause " -- with an apostrophe before the c.

---

Further to this I have checked in my many dictionaries and 'cos is listed in both 'The new 9th Edition of Chambers Dictionary' (2003) (p340, column 2, 3rd entry) and the 'Reader's Digest Universal Dictionary' (1991) (p357 column 1) as an informal contraction of because. I'm afraid the language continues to evolve.

My mischievous use of 'coz isn't listed though, coz being an archaic contraction of cousin.

What have I done? The shame of it. I have no recourse but to commit seppuku and disembowel myself with my quill.

H

The peril of raising dragons
is not that they’re
irascible and fleet
but that, to them,
your flesh just smells so sweet.

As for their vaunted love
of “jelly beans,”
oh me oh my,
the truth is that they love
jelly bein’s:
that is, those who are
afraid to die!

Grates meus regulus
morituri te salutant

H

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hawkman

Further to this I have checked in my many dictionaries and 'cos is listed in both 'The new 9th Edition of Chambers Dictionary' (2003) (p340, column 2, 3rd entry) and the 'Reader's Digest Universal Dictionary' (1991) (p357 column 1) as an informal contraction of because. I'm afraid the language continues to evolve.

My mischievous use of 'coz isn't listed though, coz being an archaic contraction of cousin.



H

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And sometimes the informal variants of "cousin" and "because" are written as "cuz" --

Of course we're all familiar with Tony Bennett's great hit, "Becos of You. . ."
Aw, I kid, I kid.

Dragon of the Mind

Are you a Dragon?
The creature in my mind is vast
And winds about my thoughts in coils.
Its dignity beyond compare,
It hoards my dreams as greedy spoils,
Like diamonds in the night.

Are you a Dragon?
Magnificent your crystal scales;
With teeth like rubies, sparkle veiled,
By lips expressive of contempt,
For lesser things, whose assaults failed
And left you in my heart.

Are you a Dragon?
Oh mystic beast, imbued with lore,
Patrolling my imagined world,
With wings so vast and powerful
That comfort, when around me furl;
Your talons my defence.

Am I a Dragon?
Great golden eyes upon me turn
And gaze with thoughtful glow within.
Well you should know, you made me up,
A product of the thoughts you fling
Around inside your head.

You are a Dragon,
And you are mine for all of time,
You only live where dragons can,
In safety, buried, deep inside,
Within the core, the soul of man,
Guardian of the light.

This revision is trimmed... tamed... and flows much better! "teeth like rubies" a awesome promise? Quite a new poem indeed. Congrats, Hawkman.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hawkman

Dragon of the Mind

Are you a Dragon?
The creature in my mind is vast
And winds about my thoughts in coils.
Its dignity beyond compare,
It hoards my dreams as greedy spoils,
Like diamonds in the night.

Are you a Dragon?
Magnificent your crystal scales;
With teeth like rubies, sparkle veiled,
By lips expressive of contempt,
For lesser things, whose assaults failed
And left you in my heart.

Are you a Dragon?
Oh mystic beast, imbued with lore,
Patrolling my imagined world,
With wings so vast and powerful
That comfort, when around me furl;
Your talons my defence.

Am I a Dragon?
Great golden eyes upon me turn
And gaze with thoughtful glow within.
Well you should know, you made me up,
A product of the thoughts you fling
Around inside your head.

You are a Dragon,
And you are mine for all of time,
You only live where dragons can,
In safety, buried, deep inside,
Within the core, the soul of man,
Guardian of the light.

---

Although the fun is gone from this revision, there's a far more sober and chilling tone to it, and of course a far more moral intent. And I do prefer this version.

Hi guys, I'm sorry but it's not a revision, It's an entirely different poem. I stuck it in this strand because the theme is dragon related and I didn't want to clutter up the other strands. If I write any more poems about dragons They'll be found here, but I promise not to do so for a while.

I'm glad you both liked it, though. and thanks for your comments.

via con dios

H

No, no, the one in the original post is wonderful, don't revise it. It was incredibly enjoyable, and that's the first responsibility of the artist. I loved that poem. That can easily be made into a child's book. You ought to consider it.

Hawkman:
Just to say, as a fellow English fellow, the only problem I have with your use of 'coz' is the apostrophe at the start. It's too fussy to use at the start of a slang word. This is probably something that's lost in transantlantic translation, as I recognize the English colloquial spelling of coz for because, in the same way 'woz' for was is acceptable. Unfortunately. That said, 'cos' is more frequently used.

The original poem is good fun, but just be careful that when you're being strongly rhythmic you have to stay tightly to the form or else the bits that don't stick out.

AuntShecky:

Quote:

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By now you and the rest of the LitNet must think I'm the geekest of all the Grammar Police!

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I have to say I do - and that's coming from me!

(And surely it's geekiest?) :wink5:

The original poem is good fun, but just be careful that when you're being strongly rhythmic you have to stay tightly to the form or else the bits that don't stick out.

Hi BV I'm not quite sure I follow what your getting at here. You must have recognised that the origional post was intended to be sung to the tune of "A policeman's Lot" from "The Pirates of Penzance" from G&S. As a song lyric, (and I accept here that there is a presumption on my part that the reader realises this) making it fit is all down to phrasing to fit the tune.

H

This and Dragon Lore have just got to be seen together!

Hi Dafydd, thanks for disinterring this one from the archive. Perhaps I should have posted Dragon Lore here instead of giving it a new thread. Well, too late now :D

Glad you enjoyed them though.

Best, H

What you must remember,
As it creeps round to September
And the weather turns quite chilly in the west,
Is that dragons have their scales,
'Cos it's flamin' cold in Wales,
But they also know the adage "West is Best".

Where dragons have been sighted,
Then the ground is often slighted,
Which probably explains the reason Cardiff’s such a mess.

But down there in the valleys
Where a dragon’s voice can carry,
You can hear them singing harmonies, the basses are the best.

But because they sing in Welsh,
You will have to use the squelch
To remove the interference on your radio at night.

But to wander through the hills
And to hear them singing trills
Is to catch a glimpse of heaven’s sure delight.