Swamp Bishop


by Pavel Chichikov

Old bull turtle, ridges on your tail

Dragon, goblin, swamp phantasm

The dogs respect you

From one bog to the other drag

Your long fat tail with dragon ripples on it –

Traffic waits

Hooked your beak, you hold it up

Your eyes see inward maybe, feet are splayed

And powerful

No one wants to test your snapping reflex,

Trespass on the frontier

Of your inner peace

Traffic waits and idles while you cross

From one side to the other of the road –

It could take hours

Meanwhile as an ancient anthem

One old bull frog notes and notes again

A twang profound

Slow and steady blows the basso bullfrog march

To honor reptile majesty – it could

Take days

You are the grey-skinned sacred relic of the altar

Of the first old Church –

We venerate and wait, swamp bishop

Visit Pavel's website at Grey Owl Press.

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