Snow…

my father killed my mother
to marry someone else
my step-mother had no idea
what he had done
she was
a pleasant woman
but easily manipulated
I knew what my father
would do next
so I ran away
before I became
victim number two
the woods can be
dark
and scary
they can also provide
hiding places
especially
if one is used to them
and knows
their ways
I have friends
in the woods
friends who
protected me
when I left
they guided me
to safety
gave me berries to eat
and watched over me
while I slept
a man
my  father sent
to kill me
picked up my trail
but the wolves
and cats
made sure
he would never be a
problem
I was safe
in the forest
but one day
I came to a clearing
and heard singing
I saw seven small men
dancing
and laughing
I walked toward them
my friends watched me go
and were ready to act
if I needed help
one of the men stepped forward
you must be Snow
he said
your arrival has been foretold
you are welcome here
so I stayed with them for awhile
I cooked and cleaned
in exchange for a soft bed
and delicious food
I was happy
but the day came
when the men told me that soon
bad things were to happen
to me
they handed me
a bag filled with food
water
and a weapon
they told me to flee
so I did
eventually
I arrived at a small city
where I was unknown
I found work
in a bakery
and one day
a gentleman came in
and told me he was a prince
he said he had been searching for me
for a very long time
he said
I was to marry him
I laughed
and said
I will never marry you
he said I was a fool
to refuse his offer
I picked up a sharp knife we used
to cut the baked goods
and he left the shop
so I live alone
on the outskirts of the city
with my dogs and cats
the small men visit
from time to time
and I am close enough
to the woods
to see my friends
almost everyday
don’t believe the fairy tales
written by men
they are written for themselves
so they can be heroes
and take girls
who don’t even know them
to be their wives
every female knows that
girls don’t want princes’
girls want
freedom
I’m Snow White
and this is my story

 

AI generated art from Pixabay