Aha! I did smote that annual Dragon who demands reams of calculations factoring in each whining excuse for forgiveness. Not once - but thrice I sallied forth into oddly worded forms which need a crystal ball to accurately interpret.
Each year the dragon spews forth a new twist to the old labyrinth of how to get from the beginning to the completion of convoluted percentages which vary from each kingdom across my land. The decrees are tinted with pink and blue to determine which bevy of bureaucratic bumblers is exacting a toll on its citizens.
Imagine how much more rancorous this task is when the good people, being held accountable, have actually expired. The Dragon even noses around sniffing out alms from ashes.
With due diligence, slips of crinkled paper (proving worthiness) are ferreted out from dusty misplaced files. The abacus is juggled to produce checks and balances as the tension mounts.
While there are clerks who make their living off such mammoth tasks, I prefer to take on the Dragon myself. It's true, I am but a humble poet living in the land of freedom (at a price) but the honour of my kin is at stake. I availed myself of their expertise only once and discovered their lack of skill meant my peace was disturbed. For months I had to scuttle around, from pillar to post, dredging up morsels to satiate the beast. Fire and brimstone was delivered to my door in the form of indecipherable decrees. I would have to consult the harried envoys the Dragon employs to clarify what was needed to regain a state of grace. After six months of interminable surprise attacks, calm was restored. From that day hence I swore I would compose my own overtures so I would be personally responsive to the menial chores serfdom entails.
Paying my respects to my departed elders has now crossed the proverbial Rubicon. All that is left is to await the response from the double toungued Dragon. It should take the waxing of one moon before knowing we are in the clear and no further penance is required.
Honour thy father and mother.
[an:3567d7a0af]Poetry Link:
http://www.writingforums.com/viewtop...=146421#146421[/an:3567d7a0af]
Now I do believe I am prepared to investigate the merits of my vacuum cleaner.
