Wyatt Slays A Dragon
WYATT SLAYS A DRAGON
(prose version)
------------------------
Wyatt's heart was completely empty.
Every last piece of happy was gone.
Wyatt never felt this alone ever.
His body trembled all over.
Wyatt couldn't sleep because his
lonely heart throbbed until it ached.
He pulled with favorite blanket tightly
over his head and softly sobbed.
Like building blocks, thoughts tumbled, tossed,
churned and turned inside Wyatt's head.
LOSS, PAIN, FEAR, ANGER, GRIEF, and SADNESS
were stuck deeply inside his brain.
SORROW filled every big and little space
inside of Wyatt. He was troubled and confused.
Wyatt seemed so stuffed full of SORROW
that he would burst apart.
Wyatt could only think about his Dad.
There was no room for any other thoughts.
WHY had the entire world turned so black?
"WHY DID MY DAD DIE"?
It was hard to breathe.
Wyatt was numb all over.
He was going to miss so many Dad things.
Snuggling together.
Building amazing imaginary contraptions.
Watching funny cartoons.
Sneaking candy Mom didn't know about.
Fishing in their old creaky boat.
Captain Wyatt in charge of steering.
Catching a tiny whopper!
Wyatt and Dad were inseparable.
Best Buddies Forever.
But forever just disappeared.
There was no good reason this happened.
Giant wet tears slid slowly down already moist cheeks.
Wyatt secretly wished he had been a better son.
"Maybe, if I did my homework on time...
If I would have picked up all my toys...
It was wrong to break so many rules...
I know I should have listened to Dad more often...
Then my Dad would still be alive.
IT WOULDN'T BE MY FAULT!!!"
At that very moment,
without any warning,
A Despicable Dragon appeared to fly
right into Wyatt's mixed up head.
Enormous teeth for chomping.
A giant powerful tail.
Huge feet for stomping.
Scorching fiery dragon breath.
That Lousy Lizard was mean and nasty.
It was ugly, horrible, and repugnant.
But it loved the latest home it discovered.
Wyatt's head was superior to a slimy, grimy cave!
Wyatt sprinted frantically out of his room,
leaping into Mom's bed with a single bounce.
He felt so relieved she was okay.
Wyatt worried Mom would get sick like Dad did.
Mom's bed was a Super Dragon Fort.
The familiar smells comforted Wyatt.
He felt extra safe and protected there.
Wyatt clutched his favorite bear, Barbar.
He drifted slowly and finally off to sleep.
Wyatt's head was calm and peaceful at last.
Daddy Memories floated gently and lovingly in.
When Wyatt awoke, he noticed a tiny smile remained.
Incredibly, the dragon disappeared too!
Where did that Repulsive Reptile go?
Wyatt's Dragon always left in the daytime.
Maybe it was scared of the sun.
It was hard to figure out.
Every night the Creepy Sneaky Creature returned.
Whenever gloomy thoughts started --- POOF!
The dragon appeared out of nowhere.
Wyatt wished he were brave and courageous.
He needed to confront that ferocious beast.
Wyatt thought and thought until he
decided upon a new plan.
Wyatt wrote Dad a special letter.
He told him secret private thoughts.
Nobody else knew how deeply he missed Dad.
Wyatt told Dad he loved him so much.
Dad was a famous artist who drew beautiful dragons.
Wyatt fondly remembered drawing together.
He found an old photograph and Dad and started drawing...
Wyatt attached dragon wings, a funny cap, and polka-dot tie.
He laughed out loud when he created
red toxic flames and stinky dragon fumes!
Wyatt grinned and roared out hilarious dragon names:
"Get out of my head Scaly Serpent!
Slink back into your cave Freaky Firebreather!
DRAGONS DON'T SCARE ME ANYMORE!!!
Dad helped him feel differently.
Wyatt suddenly and magically felt very powerful.
He was in charge of his own mind!
It reminded Wyatt of being captain and steering Dad's boat.
Wyatt created a new rule.
Sad gloomy thoughts could hang around 10 minutes.
Wyatt then replaced them with Happy Dad Thoughts.
NO MORE ROOM FOR DRAGONS!
Every day the dragon shrank.
When he figured out the dragon actually feared him...
Wyatt's Dragon finally disappeared!
Wyatt needed to remember Dad in a special way.
He had two favorite together memories:
Drawing dragons and shooting bows and arrows.
Wyatt combined both memories into one!
Wyatt invented Daddy Dragon Day.
Wyatt and others would shoot arrows at dragon targets.
They would slay dragons and raise money to help others.
Wyatt could hear Dad's advice as he hit the target:
"DREAM BIG - SHOOT STRAIGHT - AIM SMALL"
It was a day to celebrate and remember.
Happy returned to Wyatt's heart.
Wyatt knew Dad would be proud
Dad helped him change his thinking.
Wyatt would never forget Dad....
WYATT SLAYS A DRAGON
(poetry version)
Not that long ago and not that far away
Wyatt felt blue and he wasn't OK
The world as he knew it had just changed forever
Wyatt thought he'd never smile again ever
He couldn't sleep much as he tunneled in bed
With so many thoughts turning 'round in his head
Like LEGO pieces stuck deep in his brain
Grief, Anger, Sadness, and Loss, Fear and Pain
Wyatt felt so alone and he shook and just shivered
His body felt numb as he trembled and quivered
'Twas hard to think and quite hopeless to sleep
Wyatt's eyes both squeezed tightly as he started to weep
Sorrow stuffed down inside made Wyatt's heart throb
Everything ached and came out in a sob
The more Wyatt thought, well, the more Wyatt cried
He couldn't stop thinking his daddy had died
WHY had this happened and turned the world black?
It just wasn't fair that he'd never come back
There were so many things Wyatt REALLY would miss
From "Good morning son" to that last good night kiss
He'd miss watching TV and snuggling with Dad
And miss sneaking candy that Mom thought was bad
Missed building stuff, Dad was a great engineer
Missed going fishing when Dad let him steer
Shooting archery together with Dad was best fun
And Dad could draw dragons better than anyone
Inseparable Buddies. Wyatt's Best Friend.
There was no explanation why Dad's life had to end
So Wyatt laid fearful with tears wet on each cheek
That made him feel worse - he thought crying was weak
WHY did this awful thing happen to him?
Incredible sadness filled him up to the brim
Wyatt tried to be brave but the feelings grew worse
If wishes came true this would all get reversed
Wyatt kept this huge loss to himself deep inside
No one else understood, there was nowhere to hide
"It might be my fault", Wyatt thought (his heart sunk)
"If I'd listened better and picked up my junk...
If I did all my homework and finished each chore
If did what Dad told me - If I'd only done more"
These thoughts started growing when he tried to sleep
Into Wyatt's head like a DRAGON they'd creep
'Twas worse than a nightmare, no peace could he find
A despicable dragon invaded his mind
Belching smoke, breathing fire, sharp teeth a-chomping
Bloody claws, giant tail, huge feet a-stomping
Wyatt's head overflowed like a howling snow blizzard
All from that nasty, mean, awful green lizard
That giant reptile was screaming and howling
Wailing and roaring, bellowing, growling
He came EVERY NIGHT, that's all Wyatt heard
His heart pumped as fast as a scared hummingbird
Wyatt jumped out of bed, all of this was too scary
Even though dragons were imaginary
Wyatt leapt into mom's bed,, checked she was okay
She might get sick too, he worried each day
Warm smells in her room made him feel quite connected
Sort of a Mom Fort where he felt protected
Wyatt clutched Barbar, his fuzzy bear, tight
Dreamed Daddy Memories the rest of the night
Morning arrived and found Wyatt's head cleared
It seemed in the daytime the beast disappeared
WHY did this make him so gosh awful scared?
Wyatt wanted to face this if only he dared...
Wyatt pondered that lizard and black darkness grew
As did the sad, gloomy thoughts he'd construe
The dragon arrived with a hiss and a roar
Leaving terrified Wyatt feeling worse than before
"I'VE HAD ENOUGH! NO MORE!" Wyatt said
HIs brain had a plan, so he plunged straight ahead
Thinking of Dad - wrote a personal letter
The minute he started, began to feel better
Wyatt wrote how he missed him, and loved him, and cared
Wyatt wrote down his feelings: sad, hopeless, and scared
Appearing suddenly: another great thought:
Drawing was something Wyatt's daddy had taught
So he rummaged around, found an old photograph
Of Dad, but he changed it, so it made him laugh
Wyatt drew Dad with some cool dragon wings
He added a tie, cap, and many cool things
Wyatt drew noxious fumes and hot toxic red flames
He laughed right out loud, called the dragon some names
Wyatt then realized dragons lost their scare power
With the help of his Dad no more would he cower
Dragons no longer scare me, My Dad makes me brave!
Get out of my head - go back into your cave
Gloomy thoughts in my head get 10 minutes to stay
After that, I replace them! And, Oh! by the way....
From now on I know I can sleep in my bed
No more dumb beasts lurking around in my head"
Wyatt sneered at that dragon, he danced with a swagger
His brain changed his feelings, it worked like a dagger
Wyatt had a new weapon with each happy thought
The dragon grew smaller the more Wyatt fought
That behemoth shrunk, and grew smaller and smaller
Like a knight, Wyatt felt, he grew braver and taller
The battle was over, beast frightened and quiet
That once so feared lizard - was now 'fraid of Wyatt!!!
Thinking new thoughts chased that dragon away
Wyatt started to plan a Real Special Day
Because Dad loved dragons, and arrows, and bows
Wyatt put that together and thought to propose
A DAD DRAGON DAY - with his mom they'd invent
Remember his Dad with this special event
Shoot at dragon targets and they'd slay them all
Dream Big! Shoot Straight! They'd have to Aim Small...
Wyatt knew he'd feel better with each arrow he shot
Honoring Dad and the good things he taught
He'd always miss Dad and would never forget
Wyatt's Dad would be proud (Wyatt wasn't done yet)
"Great things still can happen, and dreams can come true
By changing my thinking - THAT DRAGON I SLEW!
FOOTNOTES
This book based on the true story of Wyatt Kauth,
who lost his father at age 7. Wyatt's father, Dennis Kauth,
was a graphic artist for Dungeons & Dragons. He was
also an accomplished archer.
Wyatt created World Wide Dragon Shooting Day as a
project in grief therapy class. He dreamed of legions of archers
shooting at dragon targets and raising money to help people
in the process.
World Wide Dragon Shooting Day is held annually to honor
and commemorate Wyatt's Dad. Since it's inception in 2013,
World Wide Dragon Shooting Day has grown exponentially.
Currently, some 8000 archers from 38 states and 66 countries
participate and raise thousands of dollars for local charities.
You can find out more about this event on:
Internet @ www.worldwidedragonshooting day.com
Facebook @ WorldWide Dragon Shooting Day
Twitter @ shootdragon
Instagram @Worldwidedragonshootingday
https://www.facebook.com/104925412884309/posts/2432615666781927/
https://www.facebook.com/WorldWide-Dragon-Shooting-Day-1527147604218527/