Tag Archives: Cinderella

The Prompt: Write a piece of fiction describing the incident that gave rise to the phrase, “third time’s the charm.”
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Charm School for Cinderella

Stir the pot round and round
until no essence can be found
of division between root and seed
between your wishes and the deed
that brought you here to my woods abode
for me to birth and coax and goad
fate to give you what you wish–
Prince Charming on a golden dish.

Throw this leaf to spin and bubble.
It removes your courting trouble.
Stir in this bleeding heart and mold
to wrest affection from the cold.
Now stir three times with unfaltering arm.
One time, two times, three time’s the charm!
And lest you find these arts disarming,
remember, the result is Charming!

 

NaPoWriMo Day 2: Maiden’s Dilemma

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Today’s NaPoWriMo challenge is to write a poem based on myth or legend. Mine was inspired by many.

Maiden’s Dilemma

Each myth, legend or fairytale
from “once upon” to “fare thee well”
shares some elements of story
be they sad, uplifting, gory.

Always a damsel in some distress—
Rumplestiltskin’s name to guess,
for straw once spun out into gold,
or another story to be told.

Too much sleep may be her curse,
ugly stepsisters, or worse.
Murder, treason, sloth and pox
were emptied from Pandora’s box.

These troubles spread from near to far,
(although, in fact, it was a jar.)
Zeus forgave Pandora’s shame
and the imp revealed his own strange name.

But the other women described above
were saved by cleverness or love.
Scheherazade escaped the hearse
with stories, legends, tales and verse.

Cinderella rose from hearth and ashes
and Sleeping Beauty opened lashes­­––
both maids saved by daring-do:
one by a kiss, one by a shoe.

So whatever might have been their fate:
loss of child or murderous mate,
wipe tears and fears away with laughter.
They all lived happily ever after.