Slow down, breathe easy, make a poem of your life. Don't let life rush by; reflect. Look for beauty and rejuvenate your soul.

Friday 25 March 2011

Fairytale Poems

I never much liked fairytales as a child, but nowadays I find them fascinating. Or rather, the re-telling of fairytales, the more subversive the better.
L.L. Barkat wrote a poem this week (brilliant poem - did I say brilliant? Well, I meant to) inspired by Cinderella  (see here) and challenged whosoever was willing to do the same.
This was so timely as this week I also bought myself The World's Wife: Poems by Carol Ann Duffy which opens with a magnificent poetic re-telling of Little Red Riding Hood.
So I decided to be a willing fairytale poet.
My poem is inspired by the tale of Rumpelstiltskin.

The Name Spinner

You may think I was fortunate to have a father
Who saw fit to boast in a daughter,
A miller who would have his daughter queen.
But I could not spin gold.

I wept three nights as the straw mountains multiplied,
And sighed three nights as the magic man spun
Life from gold for me. My crown was won
With a pendant, a ring and an empty promise.

I have been a bargaining chip my whole life long -
Traded by my father for a royal name,
By the king for riches magic-made,
And now my desperation played on for a babe.

But hear now that I am queen and I have means!
He spun gold from straw, but I spin names from tears.
I sobbed three nights to claim the name of my sovereign king;
The worth of his could not exceed three more.

Louise

6 comments:

  1. Louise, Beautifully written!!!

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  2. I really like this part...

    "but I spin names from tears"

    So glad you shared! :)

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  3. Sigh . . . it's a wonderful spin on the tale (couldn't help it ;) - really intelligent version of one of my favorite tales - I love it, xo

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  4. What a creative take on the Rumplestiltskin story! Fairy tales can be read on so many levels. Thanks for stopping by my blog today -- we really do have a thematic link.

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  5. Hey Louise, Thanks for stopping by my blog. Your poem is excellent!

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  6. Thank you for your sweet message! I was bummed that The House is closing too - it was such a great idea - but THANK YOU for watching the videos - they really do take some time to complete, so it's great to know that you watched - thank you again so much!! xoxo

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