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Moira Andrew
Moira Andrew was born and educated in Scotland, became a primary teacher, worked her way up to Assistant Head, then lectured in education at Craigie College of Education, Ayr before moving to Bristol where she was Head Teacher of a primary school. During the 80s, 90s and into the 2000s she wrote stories and poetry for children. Here most recent poetry collection is Wish a Wish, illustrated by Anna Popescu, Poetry Space, 2016, available here. Moira’s website is here.
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This is one of Moira’s gorgeous poems:
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Portrait of a Dragon
If I were an artist
I’d paint the portrait
of a dragon.
To do a proper job
I’d borrow colours
from the world.
For his back I’d
need a mountain range,
all misty blue.
For spikes I’d use
dark fir trees pointing
to the sky
For overlapping scales
I’d squeeze dye from
bright anemones.
I’d gild his claws
like shining swords
with starlight.
His tail would be
a river, silver
in the sun.
For his head, the
secret green of forests
and deep seas.
And his eyes would
glow like embers in
a tinker’s fire.
But I’d keep the best
till last. For his
hot breath
I’d use all reds and
yellows – crocus, saffron,
peony, poppy,
geranium, cyclamen, rose –
and fierce orange flames
from a marigold.
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© Moira Andrew (First published in Dragon Poems, by John Foster & Korky Paul, (OUP 1991)
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