A/N: I feel this poem needs a bit of background so I'm going to give my two cents before I start. The message behind "Not a Cinderella Story" was sparked by the first poetry slam I attended (where I was enthralled and cowed by the excellent performances in equal measure). It stems from my feeling of inadequacy afterward. Without further ado...copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡwyqH1ZeZOw
Not a Cinderella Storycopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡRm3Sb7T0qE
So I’ve never done this beforecopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xHA2AZU9P
and now that I’m herecopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFoEnpDCps
I have nothing to say.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hOc90k30L
.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6ipHlZGf8
Nothing compared tocopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtOU7bkKNK
poems spun from silver,copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡdW119b1ue2
diamond dewdropscopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡfV9ylQTkx8
glistening in morning sunrayscopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3BhYItitg
set on iridescent spider silk webs.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Gd4InfKSu
.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7qWFLNy6k
No. My poem is like acopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡGzoiRm0kEu
blundering giant.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡBHaPLTd0D5
Ground shaking footsteps,copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡvqdVmSH9rN
a trail of broken treetopscopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡu8nSqferAT
left in its wakecopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡVcA61lZfmD
like twigs underfoot.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡlR3yNqruAS
.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡi40FWrVbSv
My words are like leaden letterscopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5OHGUJ2UYo
falling off leather tonguescopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡykgCS42jyC
which are nothing likecopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRHcxDDsPw
trilobite fossils,copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡXVkEBfnDam
slender filaments of calcified shellcopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1IGikzmnSV
etched into rock forever.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04NHhklUMa
.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJ5KoG0Mja
I cannot compare tocopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lSPEdo1Ah
finely woven tapestriescopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡXAmKhD4CxQ
with fairy tale imagescopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYATJZzJLT
that seem to jump off the page.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUfLJUY8Vz
.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡpS9LCrpH3X
So I’m stuck standing in the shadows,copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRV8KF8koT
afraid to be left in the darkcopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡdiNt4wn2Fi
but also afraid to step forwardcopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5bLQNdgvh
lest the spotlight focus in,copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡd388cSOkcc
blinding.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqu1TyyhBd
.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeiL09zdp4
But sometimes I’m trapped in the spotlight anywaycopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡuC7CLkvzEH
and Rumpelstiltskin’s name lodges in my throat.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡMS8hT2Psjr
Awkward syllables scattered across the floorcopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTFXEF7dSw
like bracelet beads,copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡhn9p0VJvvo
no order to shape meaningcopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡdihlzbnpDG
from random letters in alphabet soup.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡQizwgdbnr4
.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIs47s0RXw
And I’m standing here waiting forcopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡfaOxwnIUMl
Prince Charming to sweep me off my feetcopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡADEa9UoliP
and save me from my blundering giants,copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdySiFkixi
and broken braceletscopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMtCjZ02UM
but this isn’t a fairy tale.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡnup1FzW4Uf
There aren’t any evil step-mothers, glass slippers, or princes.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡUkssdL8x4F
.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSsjvMjwOd
So I’m left to face my dragons alone in their lairscopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡibIIdoi9sc
where gold puddles mix with dragon flamecopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡomxRPKCXiG
as my words are torched and set to burn.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9z5s5RLBF
.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡZURHD45Vex
And my own inner demons shutter mecopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DUFvJq7HJ
into my past like Cinderella’s step-mother lockedcopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkSoplug66
her in the attic to silence her.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡV50NNERSz5
.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡqIJloe4PmM
I am silenced toocopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡzb6rzvN4LU
because discontent roils in Moby Dick’s stomach.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡaH0buNPmFp
A choppy sea does not lend to smooth sailing.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡs67brwpwlM
.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUXomwU9AG
And I am lost because I cannot move forwardcopyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Ln3WSRLew
without knowing who I was,copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHDjS4PiAb
and I can’t see the point because I cannot write a poem.copyright protection235ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4T62iszcC9
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