CrocaDilla

Illustration for the Epoch Times UK, Art & Culture page, poetry column.

A Crocodile
by Thomas Lovell Beddoes

Hard by the lilied Nile I saw
A duskish river-dragon stretched along,
The brown habergeon of his limbs enamelled
With sanguine alamandines and rainy pearl:
And on his back there lay a young one sleeping,
No bigger than a mouse; with eyes like beads,
And a small fragment of its speckled egg
Remaining on its harmless, pulpy snout;
A thing to laugh at, as it gaped to catch
The baulking, merry flies. In the iron jaws
Of the great devil-beast, like a pale soul
Fluttering in rocky hell, lightsomely flew
A snowy troculus, with roseate beak
Tearing the hairy leeches from his throat.

Click here to see the complete article (with the US version illustration).

Im really pleased with this picture. Once I had the image set in my mind it felt quite easy to draw. This is partly due to my having stayed in my room and worked at a lot of drawing recently, so I was well warmed up for the task. Its also due to my not having drawn anything vaguely monstrous for a long time, so I was quite excited by it.



PS - I am really loving doing these poetry illustrations, I think I have found my calling.