the prince was a let down

By Monet Polny

 

~ princes are impatient rescuers, 

their chivalry has limits, 

they expect every princess 

to awake with gratification 

on their lips. ~ 

 

while asleep in dreamland, aurora watched the prince she loved 

dance with dozens of women at the ball – 

as if sensing her despair, 

her fairy godmother appeared and whispered: 

“in all the time you’ve been sleeping, 

he hasn’t married or proposed to anyone else.” 

 

aurora smiled faintly and replied: 

“it’s hard enough to see him flirting, 

i don’t want to imagine the scars that will 

appear upon my heart if he pursues another woman.” 

 

“isn’t your heart broken already?” 

 

“my heart hurt the day his kiss didn’t wake me, 

but my heart broke the day he stopped trying to save me.” 

​

​

 

beware of the princesses who were raised by dragons

 

beware the princesses who were raised by dragons 

for they know how to mend their own dresses, 

fight with nothing but a sharpened shoe heel, 

and barter away your freedom with nothing 

but the jewels in their pockets. 

 

these princesses have no desire to be locked up 

in castles for the rest of their lives, may only 

marry princes to gain control of their armies, 

consult with witches instead of castle physicians. 

 

beware the princesses that warm 

your bed with only their bare breath, 

that wear dresses thicker than scales, 

that dance all night at balls and never tire. 

 

these princesses keep basilisks as pets, 

as other women raise kittens and puppies, 

practice archery and convince you to act 

as their dummy during target practice, 

eat fruit from the village market even if  

there is the threat of it being poisoned. 

 

beware the princesses who need not sit  

on a throne to reveal who they are, but  

simply allow a scaled tail to curl out  

from the back of their dress, and their  

fiery breath to shake the castle down. 

​

​

 

a villainous pep talk

 

maleficent tells you to block his number 

[or block his entrance to your castle with a fire-breathing dragon] 

the evil queen instructs you to keep your options open 

[there are at least seven other guys in the forest!] 

mother gothel informs you that a man’s handsome looks will fade 

[a woman’s never will if she has a magic healing flower on hand] 

ursula advises you to keep your mouth shut 

[until you see if he’s worth speaking to] 

the wicked stepmother reminds you that a prince should love every piece of you 

[instead of only recognizing the size of your feet] 

cruella lets you know that you’re no one’s accessory 

[no man will skin you alive] 

the queen of hearts warns you not to risk your own 

[why bother when all of wonderland is already at your feet?] 

the wicked stepsisters convince you to stay home from the ball 

[they knew you were too good for the prince all along.] 

​

 

 

 

calypso was actually a vampire

 

the nymph had retreated to the island 

to get away from sailors like him – 

because no one ever believed the 

words of an olive-skinned girl 

over that of a white sailor. 

 

when calypso happened across a love note 

in his bag, from the wife he had 

never mentioned to calypso -— 

her fury shook the island. 

 

trees crashed to meet the waves, 

birds flew into the sky in fear, 

the sea, a dark whirlpool 

as the ground shook 

in sync with 

her heartbreak. 

 

as night fell, calypso shed her nymph disguise –— 

became a predatorial creature that tore 

through the night with inhumane speed –— 

he had hungered for her body, now she 

hungered  thirsted for his blood 

 

he was no match for her claws, 

sharp teeth,  

venomous grin, 

calypso sucked the lies  

straight from his lips until 

he was blue in the face, and 

the gods of olympus  

turned their gazes away  from the

spectacle to avoid seeing 

calypso sink her teeth 

into odysseus 

one. 

last. 

time. 

​

narcissus and eros: a gender-swapped retelling

 

eros pines after the woman who gazes at her own reflection. he’s attracted to narcissus but not because he admires her confidence, but because he’s confused by her. she wears whatever she wants not caring what happens.

 

narcissus wears revealing clothing. she wears little to no undergarments. she walks alone at night. she speaks with a crude tongue. she never apologizes for her existence. narcissus was a threat to all men because she could not be controlled.

 

eros loves her and hates himself for it. alone and hidden, he repeats every swear word narcissus monopolizes, and finds that he doesn’t like the taste of them from a woman’s lips.

 

narcissus is walking home one night and feels a hot breath on her shoulder. she hears eros breathing, smells his sandalwood sweat, feels him moving closer closer closer.

 

eros pushes her into the lake, daring her to resurface. her body floats listlessly for a moment, then turns over and the reflection of her beautiful face is all he sees gazing lifelessly back at him.