The Slipper - a stream of consciousness poem for Freewrite # 157 - before midnight
Greetings fellow Steemians! Here is my 26th 5 minute freewrite. The prompt is: "before midnight".
I had to do something not-Strangeling again this evening, as the prompt would have been unworkable for the next part of the story. So during this brief intermission, we offer a fresh take on "Cinderella", from the prince's perspective, for your reading pleasure :D
(Full disclosure, this poem took me a LOT longer than 5 minutes to write. The whole first part was written in about 5 mins, but the last 6 or 7 stanzas... they took forfuckingever.)
Freewriting is a daily practice for most poets and fiction writers, designed to loosen up and get things flowing, like stretching before exercise. Visual artists, especially those who draw or paint from life (figures, landscapes, still lives, etc) do something similar in "gesture drawings". After reading several of @poetrybyjeremy's freewrite posts, I got excited to try these again. Many thanks to @mariannewest for hosting this daily freewrite!
https://steemit.com/freewrite/@mariannewest/day-157-5-minute-freewrite-sunday-prompt-before-midnight
https://pixabay.com/en/sad-lonely-sadness-alone-mourning-2668488/
The Slipper
It's beautiful
Really
Crafted
By fairies
But why would I need
A slipper to find you?
I saw you run off
You can't have got far
On foot
Without your pumpkin car
And one shoe missing
The one in my hand
Glittering crystal
Understand:
It isn't the gown
I care about
It's the woman inside it
Who wore it out
To brave the soul-sucking
Monsters at court
(The kind who hunt people
For sport)
Just to dance with me
You could be clothed
In tatters and rags
Truth be told
I'd recognize you
Nevertheless
So paint your face
As pale as death
Paint your face
As if for war
Tart up like
A two bit whore
Smear your stepmother's
Blood on that dress
Just after you've slaughtered her
While it's still fresh
Then cut off your hair
And roll in the cinders
Thread a necklace
With stepsisters' fingers
Set fire to your
Childhood home
And live in the wild
Gnawing on bones
Drinking from streams
Sleeping in barns
Pilfering liquor
And smoking cigars
An outlaw for life
A ne'er do well
This prince will still find you
My angel in Hell
The criminals live
In the castle you see
The wickedest are
My family
You think you've had it rough?
Ha! Try sleeping
With wax in your ears
To muffle the screaming
As a tiny child
I learned to keep silent
To live with sadism
Cruelty, and violence
I was taught the art
Of hunting people
Of swallowing poison
And breathing evil
I've undressed you with
My eyes all night
I don't need this slipper
I know what you look like.
©2018 Bennett Italia All Rights Reserved
Beautiful poetry.
Thank you :)
You definitely have a penchant for the odd and dark - with humor. Very good combo!
Thank you @fishyculture, I'm glad you enjoy my weird twisted quirkiness! And good to see you, thanks for stopping by :)
Yeah, I saw something shiny and several people I used to follow sort of dropped off my radar. Glad you are still hanging in there, a lot of folks dropped out with this downturn in SBD value. I think it was good for me, helped me get back around to folks like you again lol!
lol yes, our numbers are dwindling... might not be a bad thing.
Sorts the wheat from chaff, as the saying goes!
Great poem, loved it!
And here is today's prompt:
https://steemit.com/freewrite/@mariannewest/day-158-5-minute-freewrite-monday-prompt-scout
Thanks @marie-jay! Glad you liked it :)
And thanks for the prompt, I think it'll fit nicely with the next Strangeling installment...
Wow, I was not expecting that! Your rhyme is great and the story a bit chilling,but much respect for the skillful execution.
Lol thank you @wandrnrose7! Yes the story is chilling... honestly, that is not where I expected it to go at all when I started, but about halfway through I started thinking about how the Disney versions always make it look like a dream come true for the poor long-suffering heroine to become a princess, but... what if castle life turned out to be its own version of hell? Yikes...
Yes, this was a sure twist to the Disney milk-toast happy-ever-after! Nice job!
Oh, wow, great stuff. I see why it took longer than 5 minutes, but oh so worth it. Thanks for the great poem and I look forward to more.
Oh thank you so much @wordymouth! Really glad you enjoyed this, it was a fun one to write :)
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Whoa! You want revenge on the evil stepmother and stepsisters! And I am so happy to hear that you want Cinderella no matter how she is dressed. That part is so refreshing! : ) I love this awesome poem! : )
Oh definitely, Cinderella's the love of the prince's life, no? Even if he is a bit of a scary prince, and his castle hides terrible secrets... hopefully his love for her shows through ;)
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