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 protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJNNYGDRiO
Not a Cinderella Storycopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0AaeV7NAd
So I’ve never done this beforecopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡpXCoKts026
and now that I’m herecopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaSSr4EHQy
I have nothing to say.copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡeW6JpyRRPu
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Nothing compared tocopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMoZVD3GXb
poems spun from silver,copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡdp5f7ZxCtx
diamond dewdropscopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡoOQIKaBM4U
glistening in morning sunrayscopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHg1JH6cci
set on iridescent spider silk webs.copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡblxjIKvcbW
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No. My poem is like acopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCy0N9tWOM
blundering giant.copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡVekYm3jIED
Ground shaking footsteps,copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWr7vWd6wv
a trail of broken treetopscopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCxs42HyjR
left in its wakecopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5SjakK4n0
like twigs underfoot.copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡUbO1uunhty
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My words are like leaden letterscopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CJJHijbYk
falling off leather tonguescopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡeSikBlE9ID
which are nothing likecopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3lOgLu0rS
trilobite fossils,copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡzL2ClTKaoG
slender filaments of calcified shellcopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡTDTNLAckl5
etched into rock forever.copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡitQ2lyzngY
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I cannot compare tocopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Uu4XGa5Ho
finely woven tapestriescopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKSDyPdDbx
with fairy tale imagescopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡbsHHK8zAM3
that seem to jump off the page.copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡDhsvYZZOgb
.copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡaX1JZhAQ6K
So I’m stuck standing in the shadows,copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSAvaw5qcN
afraid to be left in the darkcopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnJnqBFsR4
but also afraid to step forwardcopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡDC9TEgmUN9
lest the spotlight focus in,copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡhCSxNlQTtg
blinding.copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡplcbflILan
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But sometimes I’m trapped in the spotlight anywaycopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXgMKS0BqL
and Rumpelstiltskin’s name lodges in my throat.copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEtopP4Hld
Awkward syllables scattered across the floorcopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmq8kkovWk
like bracelet beads,copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMgCgMFgNl
no order to shape meaningcopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTco7B99Rx
from random letters in alphabet soup.copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BgziX7hsd
.copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIx5VKOkAF
And I’m standing here waiting forcopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFVeE3H8AE
Prince Charming to sweep me off my feetcopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡMY5imBeZix
and save me from my blundering giants,copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ARjCGDisZ
and broken braceletscopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡr65e0cKUPy
but this isn’t a fairy tale.copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJkqmBGnJ1
There aren’t any evil step-mothers, glass slippers, or princes.copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQpO4Ju3zT
.copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡBWJf2qYSrK
So I’m left to face my dragons alone in their lairscopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡzS1n8lMhuM
where gold puddles mix with dragon flamecopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5RX6odqV3
as my words are torched and set to burn.copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡaEKAQ3nfVK
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And my own inner demons shutter mecopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjI5fDP9L1
into my past like Cinderella’s step-mother lockedcopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTTeigBwRv
her in the attic to silence her.copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡrrUM0tfdL3
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I am silenced toocopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZP1bY6soI
because discontent roils in Moby Dick’s stomach.copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CnqYTmGGS
A choppy sea does not lend to smooth sailing.copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡkM0t5Ed1Vw
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And I am lost because I cannot move forwardcopyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3kO3D0lOw
without knowing who I was,copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡCqRLbngCa7
and I can’t see the point because I cannot write a poem.copyright protection369ＰＥＮＡＮＡrouDaXiPBC
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