Leviathan
(Job 41)

Can you catch Leviathan with a fishhook,
or press down his tongue with a cord?
This story’s about a dragon fierce,
told to Job from the mouth of the Lord. 

He wears armor on the outside,
as well as double coats of mail;
he is so fierce and powerful,
against him no man can prevail.

He has strong scales, so tightly sealed,
no air can even pass through.
“Who can stand before him, Job?
No man, not even you!”

 Fire comes forth when he opens his mouth,
from his nostrils, smoke does pour.
The flesh is firm, and can’t be moved.
He’s real, he’s not just folklore! 

The Lord told Job, “There’s none like him,
he has not a smidgen of fear!
His eyes are as red as the new dawn sky,
and no one dares draw near!”

His heart’s as tough as the hardest rock;
when he stands, the mighty fear.
Swords and darts don’t pierce his skin,
nor do javelins, knives or spears. 

To him iron ore is just like straw,
and bronze is as rotten wood.
Arrows cannot make him flee,
and stones will do no good.

 His belly has scales as sharp as glass,
they tear the ground like a thresher.
The water boils when he enters it,
and churns from all his pressure.

 He can see every thing that’s high,
he is the king of all beasts.
And all would quake who met him,
from the greatest to the least.

 I think I’m glad the Lord saw fit
to remove him from the earth.
Because he’d be more trouble than
he could ever, ever be worth

Peggy McIlveene
April 22, 2002