You stand <br />in the lion’s mouth <br /> <br />like an X <br />come alive from an alphabet <br /> <br />or a <br />chromosome. <br /> <br />Your feet <br />stand firmly <br /> <br />on its roaring <br />tongue <br /> <br />you tread it down <br />as your hands uplift <br /> <br />the frightful jaws <br />the ferocious teeth. <br /> <br />You smile <br />and look very sweet. <br /> <br />A perfect <br />little girl <br /> <br />happy with herself. <br /> <br />You made <br />this lion yourself <br /> <br />(and so are not afraid of it) <br /> <br />you shaped <br />and fired it <br /> <br />Its gaudy colours <br />delighted with themselves. <br /> <br />And now <br />you stand here <br /> <br />real as <br />a photograph <br /> <br />placed between <br />such teeth <br /> <br />hold time <br />at bay <br /> <br />a little girl <br />in the big lion’s mouth.`<br /><br />Dónall Dempsey<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/in-the-big-lion-s-mouth-for-scarlett/
