Colin James- A Poem

THE BARBARIANS HAD ACTED REGRETTABLY

My son found the dragon’s teeth amongst
some rocks and fine white sand. He washed
them clean in a tidal pool. A Hermit crab
showed interest followed, scraping with its claw at
the tip then sucking the remnant root.
The boy threw sand disturbing the search
for scales as dense as death. He reclaimed
his find and climbed up on the rocks with me to sit.
We examined the harder than fire inner blackened.
Easily sold to tourists later, paying us much more
to guarantee their safe passage here and back.