The Thirteenth Fairy Or What She Said

[a reimagined fragment from The Sleeping Beauty]

you will live among thorns.
the thorns will smile.
this won't make any difference to you

one way,
or the other.
you will swelter under the gold wrought sun

others make charm bracelets from.
the ferns will curl in your wedding day bouquet;
your one slipper, with its missing pearl,

will be waylaid;did grandmother say
in the demitasse afternoons: sorrow may
come too soon to your soirees

and on the porch steps in the backyard
beside the nasturtiums-
where the carriage of snows sailed away,

you will weep, quietly, rose petals,
rose petals instead

mary angela douglas 6 december 2015