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
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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
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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
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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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