WITH PURPLE FRONDS AS SHELTERING LEAVES
PROUD TALL STANDS THE DRAGON TREE
MAJESTIC WONDER WITH FRUIT OF PRICKLY RIND
MOTHER HOST TO ALL OF DRAGONKIND
SPROUTING KINGLY ON MY GRANDFATHER'S ESTATE
LONE SURVIVOR OF A HORRIFIC FATE
DRAGON POACHERS SCOURED THE LAND
BURNING THESE TREES RIGHT WHERE THEY STAND
COWARDLY HUMANS WHO FEARED THESE GREAT BEASTS
WORRIED THEY'D BE PART OF ONE OF THEIR FEASTS
HUNTED DOWN THE POOR REPTILES UNTIL JUST A TINY SUM
AND ALL DRAGON TREES GONE 'CEPT MY GRANDDAD'S ONE
CONSTANTLY FENDING OFF THREATS AND ATTEMPTS
OF DRAGON POACHERS SCALING HIS FENCE
SLEEPLESS NIGHTS AND WORRIED DAYS
THAT'S ALL THAT HIS DRAGON TREE PAYS
FOR GRAMPS THOUGH THE CAUSE IS JUST
HE KEEPS ON FIGHTING BECAUSE HE MUST
HE PROTECTS THAT TREE FROM UNTIMELY DEATH
AS LONG AS IN HIS BODY THERE IS A BREATH
SPRING CAME IN WITH AIR SO CRISP
AS I GAZED OUT IN MORNING MIST
STUNNED AND GIDDY, TO MY GRAMPS I SHOUTED,
"GRAMPS! THE TREE! FRUIT HAS SPROUTED!'
'TWAS A SPECIAL TIME TO REJOICE ON EARTH
'TWAS MANY YEARS SINCE THE TREE GAVE BIRTH
YOU CAN NEVER KNOW THE SPECIAL DAY
THE TREE IS MYSTERIOUS IN THAT WAY
IN A FEW WEEKS THE TREE DELIVERED
BABY DRAGONS BROKE THE HUSKS AND QUIVERED
STUMBLING ABOUT ON LITTLE LEGS
AS THEY FREED THEMSELVES FROM TREEBORNE EGGS
A GREAT HARVEST THIS YEAR, THE BEST ONE EVER
WHEN ALL HAD HATCHED, THERE WERE ONE HUNDRED ELEVEN
BUT SOMETHING ELSE OCCURRED THAT AMAZED ME
TO THE NORTHWEST GREW A TINY DRAGON TREE
IMMEDIATELY MY GRANDFATHER DID WHAT HAD TO BE DONE
AND DUG THE TREE UP TO PROTECT THE LITTLE ONE
HE TOOK IT TO A DRAGON SYMPATHIZER
WHO PLANTED IT SECRETLY SO NONE WAS THE WISER.
GRAMPS DIED JUST A FEW YEARS BACK
JUST AS THE DRAGONS STARTED MAKING A COMEBACK
HE WOULD BE SO VERY PROUD TO SEE
HOW FLOURISHING WERE THE TWO DRAGON TREES!