Ned the Dragon and Fred

I woke up this morning
with a feeling of dread
when I saw a dragon
at the foot of my bed.
His eyes were yellow
and his scales were red.
I was really scared until he said,
"Good morning, Fred!
My name is Ned!
Please excuse me for appearing
at the foot of your bed.
I had to give up the life I led
in a faraway hamlet," he said.
"They hated me there,
and so I fled."

"That's terrible!" I said.

"I know," said Ned.

"I had to find a place where

I'd be welcome instead."

"I admit you gave me a scare," I said,

"when I saw you at the foot of my bed.

And how did you know my name was Fred?"

"It  was what I read 

on your mailbox," he said.

"Fred Hempstead,

a name that rhymes with my name, Ned.

And your house, like my scales,

is a bright shade of red.

I took that as a good sign," said Ned.

"I have lots of room," I said.

"You seem very polite and well bred.

You're taller than I am

but only by a head.

I think you'd fit nicely in the spare bed."

"That sounds wonderful!" he said.

And now I share my homestead

with my scaly red 

well-mannered friend, Ned. - Jeff Barnes