The Carousel
when the forest was silent, the carousel woke up
it was hidden amongst bristly fir trees
and glowed faintly in moonlight
the horses stretched their long narrow legs and
stamped their peeling wooden hooves
golden lion manes shook
and tiger’s eyes flashed in the darkness like
the dying embers of a fire
the two giraffes laughed at the old polar bear in his
splintering top hat
the zebra gazed enviously at the unicorn in his fading satin
a rooster with flaking feathers called into the night
entwined with the wolf’s answering howl which
scattered the sleeping squirrels from their tree side beds
the cat licked his paws
his painted eyes fixed on the swans hitched to a mint green sled
they ruffled their feathers
anxiously waiting for the dragon to awaken
his clawed feet capped with gold
scratched idly as he stirred
his wings unfurled from their tight slumber
and he shook splinters from his scales
the animals caroused and roared
filling the silent forest
with cries that had been restrained
within wood for too long
the forest creatures waited
until this frenzy of animation passed
and the sun rose softly
amongst the coos of doves
as the carousel wound down
and dewdrops formed on old wood
from the mist of dawn