‘Far over the Misty Mountains Cold’ by J.R.R. Tolkien depicts the destruction of Thorin Oakenshield’s home and his desire to win it back.
This poem paints a classic image of dragons found in traditional folklore and literature as the speaker talks about going to 'dungeons deep and caverns old' 'To seek the pale enchanted gold.' Dragons are depicted as formidable creatures guarding vast treasures, embodying danger and power. The motif of a brave hero confronting a dragon to claim its treasure is a recurring trope, symbolizing the triumph of human courage over beastly adversity. Tolkien's portrayal captures the traditional allure of the unknown, thrill, and peril associated with dragons, emphasizing the amusing appeal of these mythical creatures.
Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away ere break of day
To seek the pale enchanted gold.
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92/100
‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon’ by Ogden Nash is a ballad about little Belinda, who lives in a “little white house” with her four pets.
Custard, the dragon, is a friendly, fun, kind, and courageous creature. He is Belinda's pet, who has three other pets, including a kitten, a mouse, and a dog. The dragon is physically ferocious like any other dragon, with 'big sharp teeth,' 'spikes and scales,' and 'mouth like a fireplace'; however, he is described as a coward who wants the safety of a cage. Nonetheless, in the end, unlike other pets, he doesn't run away in a scary situation and bravely fights and gobbles a terrifying gunned pirate, saving Belinda and other pets.
Belinda lived in a little white house,
With a little black kitten and a little gray mouse,
And a little yellow dog and a little red wagon,
And a realio, trulio, little pet dragon.
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90/100
‘Not my Best Side’ by U. A. Fanthorpe is a transformation of the dynamic between the characters in Uccello’s Saint George and the Dragon.
Narrated either by a dragon or a knowledgeable monster, this poem offers the classic tale of the knight and dragon from the dragon's perspective, diverging from the typical warrior-centric portrayal; the narrator even calls the classic portrayal 'bad publicity.' He critiques the knight's appearance and the horse he rides while contemplating the actual desires of the woman by establishing sexual dynamics between her and the dragon. It subverts the traditional charisma of the savior by comparing his physical attributes with the dragon, in fact favoring the dragon.
Not my best side, I'm afraid.
The artist didn't give me a chance to
Pose properly, and as you can see,
Poor chap, he had this obsession with
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74/100
A nonsense poem filled with wordplay, ‘Jabberwocky’ by Lewis Carroll tells the story of the hero’s quest to slay the Jabberwock.
The poem doesn't directly mention that the creature 'Jabberwocky' is a dragon; however, the descriptions and narration of the tale seem to allude to a dragon-like creature. Jabberwocky is a perilous creature with 'eyes of flame' that will be slayed by a hero who has a special 'vorpal sword'; this tale resonates with the classic portrayal of a hero fighting and slaying a ferocious creature. Moreover, the poem contains many other fantastical creatures who are part of the hero's classical quest of slaying the dragon-like Jabberwocky with his sword.
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
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65/100
‘Done is a Battell on the Dragon Blak’ by William Dunbar is a medieval Easter poem of Scottish roots and tells of Christ’s victory over Satan.
The poem refers to one of the oldest presence of dragons in literature. It narrates Christ's victory over Lucifer through his death and resurrection and calls Lucifer a dragon, beginning with, 'Done is a battle on the dragon black.' It calls Lucifer different names like serpent and tiger, apart from the black dragon. Lucifer is described as a great red dragon in the Bible's Book of Revelation.
Done is a battell on the dragon blak,
Our campioun Chryst confountet hes his force;
The yettis of hell ar brokin with a crak,
The signe triumph all rasit is of the croce,
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60/100
‘Being Brave at Night’ by Edgar Guest, narrated by a young boy, tells how he is not scared of elephants, ghosts, and dragons at night.
The giant mentioned in the second stanza seems like a ferocious mythical dragon. The dragon is presented as a terrifying, nightmarish creature with three heads and a red-hot fire that comes out of his mouth. The poem shows a child dealing with nightmares by not getting scared, bravely leaving his room, and crawling in bed with his dad.
The other night 'bout two o'clock, or maybe it was three,
An elephant with shining tusks came chasing after me.
His trunk was wavin' in the air an' spoutin' jets of steam
An' he was out to eat me up, but still I didn't scream
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58/100
William Blake’s ‘The Marriage of Heaven and Hell’ explores the transformative power of embracing contradiction and defying societal norms.
Blake uses the character of Rintrah for the first time in this poem. It depicts just wrath and Blake's revolutionary ideas. The description of the creature called Rintrah in line, 'Rintrah roars and shakes his fires in the burdened air,' evokes dragon imagery. The roaring and shaking fires of a creature in full wrath seem as if it is a dragon.
Rintrah roars and shakes his fires in the burdened air;
Hungry clouds swag on the deep.
Once meek, and in a perilous path,
The just man kept his course along
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54/100
‘The Kraken’ by Tennyson delves into the mysterious story of an ancient sea monster, predicting his rise to the sea’s surface only to die.
The mythical sea monster Kraken is found in folktales and is interpreted as a giant squid or octopus. However, stripped of cultural context, the Kraken in this poem could easily be seen as a dragon. Dragons, prevalent in pirate lore, share similarities with Tennyson's monster. Kraken's slumbering presence, awaiting its fiery awakening, resonates with tales of dragons emerging from the depths and wreaking havoc on ships.
Below the thunders of the upper deep,
Far, far beneath in the abysmal sea,
His ancient, dreamless, uninvaded sleep
The Kraken sleepeth: faintest sunlights flee
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46/100
‘The Forest Path’ by Lucy Maud Montgomery is an uplifting nature poem that describes the beauty and magic one can find in the forest.
The poem hints at a fantastical realm where mythical creatures roam amid the enchanting forest landscape. It mentions dryads, gnomes, fairies, nymphs, and satyrs, weaving a mythical world where dragons are often presented. The imagery of lurking gnomes, peeking fairies, and nymphs running among the trees sets a magical tone, evoking the presence of friendly dragons in the fairy world.
Oh, the charm of idle dreaming
Where the dappled shadows dance,
All the leafy aisles are teeming
With the lure of old romance!
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32/100
‘Caliban upon Setebos’ by Robert Browning delves into Caliban’s contemplation of God’s power, nature, and his place in the universe.
The poem focuses on Caliban's musings regarding Setebos, a higher power, and doesn't mention dragons directly. The musings include mythical creatures as Caliban reflects on various animals and beings created by Setebos. The abundant fantastical creatures and mention of beasts evoke imagery of dragon-like creatures.
'Will sprawl, now that the heat of day is best,
Flat on his belly in the pit's much mire,
With elbows wide, fists clenched to prop his chin,
And, while he kicks both feet in the cool slush,
