Dear Friends,
Elementary school parents will understand when I say, Field Day is not fun for anyone taller than four feet. I subbed for Field Day and it was rough and rainy. I was at Minion Frisbee Station #2 and was preparing to reprimand misbehaving kiddies. Music was blaring from a stereo. It was a mix of tunes from hippish hoppish to nostalgic. Puff the Magic Dragon began playing. The profound words and sweet tune hit me right between the foggy glasses. My eyes began misting. Uncle Robert, my mother’s only sibling used to sing about Puff the most magical of dragons. For my brothers, sisters and me, Uncle Robert’s voice was like beautiful caramel.
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea-
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Hanalei
Little Jackie Paper loved that rascal Puff-
Together they would travel on a boat with billowed sail
Jackie kept a lookout perched on Puff’s gigantic tail-
Noble kings and princes would bow whene’er they came
Pirate ships would lower their flags when Puff roared out his name-
green monster
A dragon lives forever but not so little boys-
We lost my beautiful and talented Uncle Robert to Aids over 40 years ago.
One gray night it happened, Jackie Paper came no more
And Puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar-
Without his life-long friend, Puff could not be brave
So Puff that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave…
After Puff the Magic Dragon, nearly reduced me to tears in front of giddy students, my man Freddie saved me with, “we will, we will rock you, yeah…”
Uncle Robert and Freddie Mercury are probably besties now
Thank you and goodnight. May your dreams be filled with the sweet breath of friendly dragons…
(all of the above illustrations are mixed media – I rendered them in Prisma pencil and acrylic)
anntogether 
Goodnight, Sweetie! Putting mints under my pillow in case their breath is not as sweet as I am hoping. Hugs & Love! Wonderful post!!
LikeLike
Goodnight to you too,Skye 🙂
Mints probably wouldn’t be a bad idea, oh yes, and a fire extinguisher 😉
AnnMarie 🙂
Sweet dreams…
LikeLike
Very nicely recapped. TELL ME–those illustrations: you?
LikeLike
Thank you. Yes they’re my illustrations – you know I usually put in the mediums used. Often times when I visit other blogs I like to know if it’s the blogger’s artwork (I’ll go back this morn and add that) thank you.
AnnMarie 🙂
LikeLike
Straight up awesome!
LikeLike
I thank you. I love creating monsters and need to work on my ‘style’ a bit as I really don’t have one specific approach. One is never sure what others think of their art. I do so appreciate your view.
AnnMarie 🙂
Have a wonderful Thursday
LikeLike
You too! I went to your full site. Must say, you have my mind roiling over book cover inspiration. Thank YOU for reading my month-old blog. 33 posts and almost zero banality!
LikeLike
I didn’t realize you’re such a youngster in bloggo world.
I began this past February and it has been entertaining and quite fascinating. SO much talent out there and so many artists/writers/ musicians sharing…
It is truly an awe-inpsiring community
AnnMarie 🙂
LikeLike
I am insofar as this endeavor goes. I blogged satire for years in a different incarnation. I gave it up because I list steam when my father died, and a few other things shortly thereafter.
I had a fly-fishing blog. I had a theological/worldview-devoid-of-snark blog.
I couldn’t stay compartmentalized without suffering huge chronological gaps in subject matter.
My wife is the one who convinced me to become a hodgepodge, one-stop shop for all my varied and sometimes polar interests.
She was right. Being able to peel off on any subject without violating my own “mission statements” was a great idea.
You are right. This blog world has some very great things to commend to it. Not the least if which is: kicking myself in the behind to get my own creative stuff “out there.”
LikeLike
I’m very sorry to know you lost your dad. I’m blessed with still having both my folks…and I do so appreciate them.
Your wife steered you in the perfect direction – how well she knows you 🙂
My brother-in-law makes and sells fishing poles. He’s been doing the competitive fishing circuit for years – I think trout? Not sure there.
I’m glad you ‘reharnessed’ your creative energies…
AnnMarie 🙂
LikeLike
I keep saying this, AnnMarie, but your artwork is just so beautiful and so full of emotion. These need to be between the covers of a book.
LikeLike
Ah, thank you so very much Debra. I hope to work up to publishing beginning this summer…
AnnMarie 🙂
LikeLike
🙂 Did you draw/paint them especially for this post? or choose them from a stash?
LikeLike
I had no definitive plan when I began my blog other then as a repository for my art and writing and to put a much greater focus on creating lots of new art/writing. I began blogging this February and I think I’ve finally gotten a handle on a ‘format’ that suits my personality. I love humor, I love art and I like making people smile. Sometimes I get lucky, other times I bomb.
The art and photos I show are a bit of both – older and/or newly created. I do have lots of older pieces I like to put up and give them new life. I guess it really all depends on what I’m posting about. So much of it is serendipitous. Okay, so to finally answer your question (do you see how I took you on a little journey 😉 ) For this particular post, I hadn’t planned anything until – as luck would have it – I was mulling over what I might post about when Puff’s song started playing and I knew what I had to write. I had the art already. I have many monsters at my disposal – I am a nice person (so they tell me) but I love dark and sometimes wicked creatures…
AnnMarie 🙂
LikeLike
I’ve been looking thru your posts, I love that you have drawings/sketches to go with your words.. I haven’t come across a more expressive blog in quite sometime, thank you! ^.^ You are very talented.
LikeLike
You’re very kind – thank you. I kinda gotta groovish thing now me thinks…
My earlier posts were a tad more mainstream. I began introducing my art on a regular basis and fitting into my text or vice-versa…and I’ve been lucky it’s been working out so far.
I very much appreciate your kindness. 🙂
AnnMarie 🙂
LikeLike
AnnMarie, your dragons are glorious! Have you seen the book made from Puff the Magic Dragon? After Jackie Paper grows up, his daughter comes to love Puff. My students loved the story (it made me cry). – Fawn
LikeLike
Oddly enough, I’d never seen that book before until last week at Barnes & Noble when I took my mother-in-law there. Puff was on a table in full view. I picked it up and read the last few pages and like you, got misty eyed. I liked that Puff can again be happy.
AnnMarie 🙂
ps Thank you for the dragon approval 🙂
pss and thank you ever so much for the reblog. Here’s how tech-silly I am. I didn’t know what a reblog was and now I do. So thank you ever so much, Fawn. Have a fab Friday!
LikeLike