Godmothers. (without the wand)

Now it should be taken
as a remark upon his character
that he takes such effort and care
to conceal
his baldness
which is no fault of his
but only Nature's whim.
As for his figure
he is well proportioned
with a stolid girth that close reflects
his standing as a steady townsman
whose opinions carry great weight.
For his worth
it is well over two stone in silver
and half again that much in land.
His beard reflects his wisdom
and if it is somewhat scraggly
it is well greyed
a sign of much experience.
All this to say that,
considering your waist
is your best dowry,
the sir is as well endowed as you
and the match should be made by May
though even a January rush could be managed.

The Other Cinderella Story

I'm going to need you to pay attention.

she said

and the way she had of raising her eyebrow

to match her voice

made him look twice

and sit up straight

but the bottom of his spine shook

and he couldn't tell if it was terror

or something else.

I want something that really pops.

I might be the mother of the bride

but everyone knows

I'm the brains of the operation.

The fairy tale business is old news

blah blah blushing bride and handsome prince.

Boring.

What everyone wants to know

is how the woman who made it happen

thinks, walks, and what she wears

and if you hop to it, that label will be you.

So...

I'm thinking red

something smoking--

this mama isn't going to sit back

and dandle gran'babies on her knees

even if they are heirs to the throne.

Make them flashy with a bit of heel

not too much you know as it'd be a bit of a shame

to wear what the queen ain't got--

I can laugh at her even if the press can't

'cause after all I got her the crown

and the ring which might be better.

Cut them tight

if they look too big

people might start asking questions

like how that little bitty slipper

followed something that looks like this.

We'll let them talk

and I'll dance at her wedding even if she can't...

"And the wicked stepmother was given red hot iron shoes

and danced until she died."

On Wishing Well.

She saved all the pennies she ever found

face down on the ground like they were

praying -the last honest worshippers

to the last Lady of Luck.

She kept them in a silver sleeve

that once held a golden photo

with his hair and the sun all glowing.

Now it's just pennies

and every full moon she pulls one

with it's copper sphere to match the silver one outside

folds two hands around the tiny circle

and every full moon by the window

she closes her eyes.

she wishes...

for bridges to burn

for a fiddle to play

for a globe to upturn

for one more day

where he was hers.

Doorway.

So he's got this sword

and shoes that look like

they look like they been somewhere

PHEW. they smell like they been somewhere.

so he's got this sword. and the shoes.

and this look like.

lady.

and i can feel my toes in a way

i haven't since last may

when tom went swimming after that old bag

and came up with kittens and a full summer smile.

but still.

there's the sword and that look.

but it's after dusk and the door

well she says the door should be latched

and checked THREE times

but she also says thrown salt keeps off the Eye

yeah and who's the one who sweeps

so there's her

and there's this sword and the shoes and a man.

and he says.

lady.

are you gonna let me in. or what?

So i did.

So there's this sword and the shoes

and a son.

Where's the man?

Shut that Sass

When she sasses

it swings down the street

on long sticky of strands of

she saaaid whaaaat.

and it sticks to the mouth

of all the slack-jawed children

with a sweet sugar sting

to fill up those cavities

bouncing around in they empty heads

like rubberball fireworks

till it explodes off their hands

and the clap clap telegraph

begins again

she said she said

she said husssssssh

she said she said

-You better not miss that bus-

and husssssh.

the street is silent again.

But when she sasses...

Not your Tom

crook tail'd king
knows he's unlucky
and he don't care who he damns
takes his time
swinging between
a slouch and a sullen strut
but who's watching
who's worth walking for?
corner cat, king of the street
corner cat don't want your meat
lights out fur
and full moon eyes
crook tail'd king
don't want your anything

One Last Salvo

People in a battle lost

love differently.

time flickering out

in the looming night

In a lost battle

the lovers know first

the difference between surrender

and salvation