Wild Ways and Wise Ways

Enduring darkness and thunderstorms
Bilbo Baggins and his dwarf friends 
met trolls, goblins, giant spiders.
I, too, was dangled
at the end of an elastic rope,
which raised me to heights of fright;
my skin squeaked as I held in my breath
and my eyebrows and knees clenched.

I was their invisible companion
over hill and under mountain,
through river and forest.
I held on while they overcame all danger
by sword or cunning or the wizard's wand.
Then the elastic dropped,
my breath crept out through my teeth with a whistle
and I sank deeper into the cushions.

I learnt the way of the simple dwarves and hobbits,
child-like folk, whose courage floored their enemies;
I grasped the sword of the courage to bow my head
and be little and unaccounted.

(May 2009)