Tattoo

She has a fairly large tattoo
Of an orange dragon
On her lower back.

When she’s bent over
In front of me
Moving
That dragon starts breathing fire
Digging his talons
Deeper into her skin
As he unfolds and spreads his wings.

In the morning
When it’s quiet again
And I wake up
She’s still sleeping.

I can pet him
And rub him under his chin.

He purrs
Like an idling
Custom chrome engine.

Some time passes
And he falls asleep as well
Curled up
Like a pit bull
Upon the back of his owner.