Jack Savage

The throne of reeds

After the leaves changed colour from fire to dirt, fell and became dirt, and when the cold came quick and the sun shied away, my body tired, but I was thankful; the great green serpents, and the venomous, brown Scaled Ones with evil red eyes, retreated into stolen and abandoned burrows seeking protection below the coming frost; no longer would my subjects spend long minutes terrified, sat as still as the giant red hatted guardian of our pond, cold hearts in our mouths, hiding from slitted gaze.