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 protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0mfhMcyzA
Not a Cinderella Storycopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qTMRh1NDA
So I’ve never done this beforecopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡz46l3v3YwQ
and now that I’m herecopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡInyo3RKMHp
I have nothing to say.copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPBYlUYH69
.copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOxIELMZ9a
Nothing compared tocopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡRzhv49a5ok
poems spun from silver,copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6W420hykW3
diamond dewdropscopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKxh3FyZzi
glistening in morning sunrayscopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡoU6GqzWFJu
set on iridescent spider silk webs.copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzzH85xKEw
.copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwamoVK2w9
No. My poem is like acopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZYfWQnB8R
blundering giant.copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡpft9Zjd1RI
Ground shaking footsteps,copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyVDyYnXY1
a trail of broken treetopscopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYUiaEYbqs
left in its wakecopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡl54FLMcC5Y
like twigs underfoot.copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡCDpRMn2Ntd
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My words are like leaden letterscopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcTJxY10Yf
falling off leather tonguescopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡr62rJMD4vp
which are nothing likecopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3ufxRTdrF
trilobite fossils,copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EPY6el00X
slender filaments of calcified shellcopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGWtEVLB6U
etched into rock forever.copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCNNxSFEt9
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I cannot compare tocopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡNikL1BOLw2
finely woven tapestriescopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3nZTjMPY7
with fairy tale imagescopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMOGa2qvcY
that seem to jump off the page.copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡngAsbSoExj
.copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡUU70TRt4fd
So I’m stuck standing in the shadows,copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOPeiTlcgM
afraid to be left in the darkcopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1x4kXIk4Zv
but also afraid to step forwardcopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡNNY5LsWuKs
lest the spotlight focus in,copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡt980zTdrhW
blinding.copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5KfTjxMuZ
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But sometimes I’m trapped in the spotlight anywaycopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAS8oYvfK2
and Rumpelstiltskin’s name lodges in my throat.copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfx7fL7bNB
Awkward syllables scattered across the floorcopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡai3zUdScFz
like bracelet beads,copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9JhAb5TQnY
no order to shape meaningcopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡz2pk38lLyp
from random letters in alphabet soup.copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIvo65K0nv
.copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡHiqHJjMYXV
And I’m standing here waiting forcopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7eN9Q4kBHo
Prince Charming to sweep me off my feetcopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFkOhJdvMy
and save me from my blundering giants,copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2j9J3naAV
and broken braceletscopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡaEKIl2DKq8
but this isn’t a fairy tale.copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqIK1c7ZGI
There aren’t any evil step-mothers, glass slippers, or princes.copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VdwkeQTqx
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So I’m left to face my dragons alone in their lairscopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡG3J0qbdVIw
where gold puddles mix with dragon flamecopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1G7vAVU1VE
as my words are torched and set to burn.copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxapxUQ8J9
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And my own inner demons shutter mecopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYt4xUNhAM
into my past like Cinderella’s step-mother lockedcopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1RB7pKtEvg
her in the attic to silence her.copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡr5yZ2kpUbQ
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I am silenced toocopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0x0yxNvK5j
because discontent roils in Moby Dick’s stomach.copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgw2lgdsYX
A choppy sea does not lend to smooth sailing.copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dWbZdK7go
.copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡvd4odggJkQ
And I am lost because I cannot move forwardcopyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNKgcprMMG
without knowing who I was,copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡrutvnC5Enn
and I can’t see the point because I cannot write a poem.copyright protection337ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFXt3yrUPl
ns3.238.62.144da2
