The Paper Dragon

There was a man hight Matthew Shears who slayed monsters by trade,

Whose sword was wrought of brightest steel and bow of strong yew made.

He journeyed far to seek the town of Somewhere, in the west:

And there was doomed to suffer through his most depressing quest.

A dragon pale swept low above the town in circles wild,

Searing the several mental healths of man, woman, and child.

The ruling class took tribute from the people for the drake,

And outlawed lighting fire: for smoke the dragon’s wrath would wake.

Yet Matthew knew upon a glance this drake above the town

Was but a kite of paper on a slender wire flown.

He tried to warn the people of their rulers’ wicked con,

But none to him would listen, for they had been lied to long.

So through the wire he shot a dart, and on the town did fall

A harmless paper toy, to the astonishment of all.

The people shrieked in sheer delight and praised their government,

And voted as one man to preserve the establishment.

Thus Matthew, leaving in disgust, near to the border drew;

And looking back saw that the kite had been replaced with two.