The Mountain Mist

Poetry

The Mountain Mist

Katie Frances Hartless

Dragons, dVerse, fantasy, nature

The Mountain Mist is dangerous,

with spiky fins and rugged peaks of flesh

it sits atop the lakes and rocks,

partially transparent.

And from this vantage point,

spits hot water droplets east and west,

tail swirling in suspense.

With movements acrobatic,

it swings from peak to valley

puffing steam adiabatic

to hug the morning skyline

like a fur-warmed neck.

And while Mountain Mist may be gruff and

lack the armor of the its larger cousins,

in its presence, you’d do best to watch your step—

or find yourself with loss of precious grip.

©2024 | K.Hartless

Written for d’Verse Poet’s Pub | Legendary Creatures

20 responses to “The Mountain Mist”

johnlmalone

wow ! from first read this really rocks: that brilliANT art work, supported by its trippy imagery; am about to look up ‘adiabatic’ ; there’s one thing that can never be levelled at your work: it is not lazy writing: it demands an adventurous reader 🙂 now that word 🙂

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1. Katie Frances Hartless
  
  Thank you, John. I love to find that perfect word. It’s out there somewhere, I just know it. I’m glad you enjoyed this Mountain Mist monster. I haven’t seen any like it here in the city, but there is sometimes a bit of a fog whale in the afternoon.
  
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  1. johnlmalone
    
    ‘a fog whale’ : I like that 🙂
    
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kim881

I love your Mountain Mist dragon, Katie, and the way you describe him is so evocative. I especially love the simile ‘hug the morning skyline like a fur-warmed neck’. A dangerous dragon of which to beware!

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1. Katie Frances Hartless
  
  Thank you kindly, Kim. I got entangled in a mountain mist once, but I was lucky to spot a familiar rock formation and make it back to the road.
  
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  1. kim881
    
    My pleasure, Katie.
    
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ben Alexander

Katie, this is such a cool poem! I love how you’ve brought the Mountain Mist to life—so full of energy. The imagery of the dragon with its tail swirling is really striking!

~David

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1. Katie Frances Hartless
  
  Thank you, David. 💜 It was great to imagine a dragon, actually. All of the responses I’ve read have been terrific.
  
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  1. ben Alexander
    
    👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻
    
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rothpoetry

Very nicely done. Your metaphor of spitting hot water droplets east and west is great!

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1. Katie Frances Hartless
  
  Thank you, Dwight. I would love to feel some of those droplets these days. It’s scorching here in Bangkok.
  
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  1. rothpoetry
    
    You are welcome. Do you get the monsoons!
    
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Björn Rudberg (brudberg)

I think I would also be careful around such a dragon even if he has larger cousins somewhere.

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1. Katie Frances Hartless
  
  Indeed. He sort of creeps up on people, doesn’t he?
  
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John

Wonderful!

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1. Katie Frances Hartless
  
  Thank you. 🙏 Mountain mist, oh what I wouldn’t do for a cool morning somewhere.
  
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Experience Film

I want to catch that pokemon, run for the misty mountains and call it my precious for a thousand years!🧘🏔🤍🐲

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1. Katie Frances Hartless
  
  Yessss. I’m ready to let that tail wrap around me, to be honest. Maybe find some cool spring to sink into, Misty swirling all about. Thanks for this fantastic comment, friend. 💜 Could be a love at first bite.
  
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dorahak

A captivating dragon, one that captures the imagination as

“it swings from peak to valley

puffing steam adiabatic

to hug the morning skyline

like a fur-warmed neck.”

Brilliant! And the ending is most satisfying: Mountain Mist dragons aren’t as innocuous as we may think after all.

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1. Katie Frances Hartless
  
  Oh, Dora. Thank you so much. I missed your comment earlier and it’s been a busy week. I really appreciate your kind words. 💜🙏
  
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