Wednesday, December 3, 2014

EXILES, PEASANTS AND A DRAGON



Saint Margaret of Antioch, patron of exiles,
Peasants, the dying and the falsely accused,
Is recognized by her attribute: a dragon,
Either on a leash or draped over her shoulder.
When they are not posing for pictures –
Which they have not done now for years –
The dragon often wanders on his own.
Pope Gelasius called Margaret apocryphal
But it didn't stick. In his cups, the dragon
Insists Gelasius is apocryphal.
He has told Anthony's pig that, sometimes,
He thinks of Margaret as his attribute;
Occasionally he eats one of her peasants.

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