Fairy Tale Poems

Rapunzel

Who told you to wait for a prince anyway?
He'd only cut off your glorious hair,
Plait it into the rope that binds you.

How much better to free its golden fire,
Ignite the tower,
escape on wings that burst
from your own strong arms.

Rapunzel, forget the prince!
Look into the eyes of the witch
and see, reflected in
their dark fire,
the other half of yourself.

Take her hand, and fly!

  
  Rapunzel & the Prince

The prince falls for you in your tower mode,
at your window, looking out–
safe, sequestered,
for him alone.

He doesn't like the witch,
has convinced you,
she is your enemy,
that she's not
who you think she is.

He convinces you to
cut off your hair,
your golden brilliant hair,
to trick her,
kill her off.

And in exchange for that
he'll make you
queen.

 
 © 2005, Lenore Horowitz