An Un-Fairytale

the prince, it seems, has vanquished me --

made not a bride out of this flesh, but

a bested opponent -- foot to chest victory --

 

in his smiling irises I can almost see the reflection

            of his white steed tethered

            to an ancient Oak,

waiting to carry home the conquering hero

 

            the realization that I made it easy

is a dagger sharper than any sword, more biting

than the absence of words that rattle as chains do

                        around bruised appendages

 

            I am barren without his voice --

a seedpod emptied of its pearls and left to wither

beneath the relentless baking of the high-noon sun

 

and he is in his clapboard castle, some fifty miles away,

            carving notches into leather --

each slash signifying another distressed damsel

wilting in the remembrance of his poet's hands

 

we have become the epic -- verse upon sacred verse 

of welted memories, awake within the etchings and cracks

            of his exquisite armor

 

Reviews

[Dye]

I am so happy to have stumbled upon this tale. I typically have a hard time deciphering what some poets mean, but I love the ease of this. It flowed effortlessly, although you can tell it was thoughtfully written. This is something that I could have related to years ago. I wish I had a fraction of your talent.

[Baby Ricochet]

Beautiful poem Sarah. I love the last stanza

[icelandicblue]

Oh what betrayal! And yet, the princess, knows the true character of her prince pines with such anguish:

I am barren without his voice --
a seedpod emptied of its pearls and left to wither
beneath the relentless baking of the high-noon sun

We cannot help who we love but we don't have to like it. What an exquisitely painful story you have created.

[Jack...]

I think when we fall off of that cliff, spiraling downward with only fuzzied eyed affection, open to the wind that passes rapidly, blinded by the light below, we do have a tendency to make it easy. Doorways open and close on the way donw that we ignore for this path is the only...we know it...we are fed the kool-aid and quench our thirst on what we see, what our heart knows beyond a shaodw of a doubt is real only to find clouds drift deeply within another forming those shadows, darkening our hopes and leaving us left abandoned on the side of the road, hitch hiking back to where we never wanted to go again. Very sad my friend. Funny how the knights armor can dull in the blink of the blinded eye.

[J_Star]

Ha ha! Wow, I love this. Can I just say, what a d****e canoe!

On the one hand, it's a little bit funny--the prince with the swollen ego, the girl on the floor with her hands and knees bruised and the words "what the f**k?" ringing in her head. On the other hand, it's just so sad, because you know it's a portrait of crushed hope.

Nice work.

[K. Louis]

'An un-fairytale' -- Very fitting title; I like it.

Great imagery in this, emotion packed and felt...especially that third stanza. I agree with Jacob--Good riddance! Hugs.

[Clara]

the realization that I made it easy
is a dagger sharper than any sword, more biting
than the absence of words that rattle as chains do
around bruised appendages

The kind of pain you describe, is the hardest to accept. You ignored the signs, and in so, believe you brought the pain upon yourself. But you should know that real love is never meant to hurt like that. Ever.

A wonderfully heartfelt write, my friend.

[Libby McKeown]

I really liked the imagery invoked by this piece, very finely drawn and focused on details that connect the reader to an exact moment in the mind's eye. I think the last line is perfect as the summation of the poem. I think the fifth stanza is perhaps detracting from the speaker. . .the poem lives in the speaker's mind, and this "real time" addition doesn't seem to fit. Besides that, it's solid work. I am a big fan.

[J. J. Nightingale]

I made it easy once .. That shining armor and Poet's ink had it's way with me ..

This poem reminds of the pain I knew .. then

Well done ! .. This is excellence !

Jazz

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

Thank you so much...I'm glad you could relate; or rather I am glad to know I'm not alone.

[J. J. Nightingale]

LOL ... I know what you mean ... :) ... You r welcome ..

[Joyce S. Greene]

You are well rid of this cad, Sarah. He is not worth your distress. Any man who treats a woman like that is not one you'd want in any case. I know how you feel having gone through the same thing more than once, but you'll find someone who is a real Prince Charming and then you won't give this villain a second thought.

Your poem is excellent. I could feel your heartache and my heart went out to you. Poetry is a great way to get it all out and make yourself feel a little better. Hope it worked for you!

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

Thank you, Joyce...your words mean a lot.