She Also Was True

who wouldn't love the die cut paper castles,

paper snowflakes snipped, the mirrored pond
reflections of a pink tulled dancer

on one leg standing in an old story;
one leaden soldier to wait upon.
being made of paper not much was left to chance

a misplaced wind, an uncertain dance
a gust from a hearth ablaze and
the end of storied days, snip snap.

these are the happenstantial ways
Hans Andersen furnished
for a paper valentine

to those farther down the line.
where the leaden soldier
never loses nerve

but is captive to a breeze
and the dancer at attention too
in the end

we rue.
though she also,
was true.

mary angela douglas 15 january 2019