Puff, the Magic Dragon

More about Puff, the Magic Dragon

Once there was a boy, Jackie Paper,
his heart as light as the sea breeze.
He ran barefoot along the shore,
arms wide open, playing with a dragon of smoke.

Puff soared above him – vast, mysterious, full of magic.
They discovered distant shores, built castles of imagination,
and every laugh from Jackie made the dragon glow brighter.

But the years went by.
Jackie grew, and with childhood the wings of dreams faded.
Puff remained by the shore,
his body of smoke scattered by the wind,
his eyes filled with melancholy, knowing:
imagination only lives where a child carries it.

And yet – those who look closely
still feel a wisp of smoke on the horizon,
and hear in the ocean’s whisper
the echo of a dragon who never truly vanished.

Footnote: Inspired by the song “Puff, the Magic Dragon” by Peter, Paul and Mary.


Song text:

Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea,
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honalee.
Little Jackie Paper loved that rascal Puff,
And together they’d play, laugh, and dream enough.

But time moves on, and children grow,
Jackie went away, leaving Puff below.
Now Puff waits by the shore so still,
Remembering the boy, and the laughter that fills.