Fairy Tales

I grew up on fairy tales;

Read them over and over.

Came to believe them.

They lie.

Take Beauty and the Beast.

I’ve known some beasts, kissed some,

None of them ever turned Prince.

Once a beast, always a beast, I say.

Kissed a few frogs too. Same story.

A frog is a frog is a frog. However,

If you find a talking frog, keep him.

Conversation is more valuable

Than manly feats of derring do.

Cinderella, too technical, cast of hundreds,

Mice and pumpkins and all.

Rapunzel, yes, a man will use a woman

To climb to the top if she is the way up.

Snow White, slavey to seven little me.

Sleeping Beauty, another dreamer

Rescued by a kiss. One hundred years

Of morning breath? Ewww.

Do you really believe that a Prince

Would hack through briars and brambles

For a little nookey? Not when Cinderella’s

Evil step-sisters stand on the corner

Giving it out for free.