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 protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡfrRXJNCW6G
Not a Cinderella Storycopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡgsoPEf9JZj
So I’ve never done this beforecopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡYgVpUbo2bO
and now that I’m herecopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡKKwxLYOYMc
I have nothing to say.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0KPfB6464Q
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Nothing compared tocopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡQr3BskEBvE
poems spun from silver,copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAjCTt7wjr
diamond dewdropscopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMmpNw1Izs
glistening in morning sunrayscopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡcE74VfPQNB
set on iridescent spider silk webs.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5N08o7UbC3
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No. My poem is like acopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡeB0mDBw6up
blundering giant.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0o004fIqi
Ground shaking footsteps,copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ghIiVJM7q
a trail of broken treetopscopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡvxSIK7ODGN
left in its wakecopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9IC75109J9
like twigs underfoot.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHIIbFL0yX
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My words are like leaden letterscopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxTp4jF537
falling off leather tonguescopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡtzdfoHGRU8
which are nothing likecopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQKuJ76GoG
trilobite fossils,copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yIY41VS0R
slender filaments of calcified shellcopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJCMp5e3Kw
etched into rock forever.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡqEKsmfGIv9
.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡ88gj82qEof
I cannot compare tocopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡer372kcFdv
finely woven tapestriescopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡcaQoctnxzf
with fairy tale imagescopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1E8Clq49A
that seem to jump off the page.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡndpGOxVTWK
.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡcvmcN4BiHN
So I’m stuck standing in the shadows,copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡirHW19DgIP
afraid to be left in the darkcopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡv0BJWcupnV
but also afraid to step forwardcopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡmoZKeaKcZi
lest the spotlight focus in,copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nZE31w3yl
blinding.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxvpkBzgOY
.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfgkTfkoYz
But sometimes I’m trapped in the spotlight anywaycopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡW6yOlo4xki
and Rumpelstiltskin’s name lodges in my throat.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Hxy2q3rVz
Awkward syllables scattered across the floorcopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdQcjfC6sw
like bracelet beads,copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbgsWbbsad
no order to shape meaningcopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ML0aOmpsG
from random letters in alphabet soup.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡRi4a0vvroB
.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡDiQdnPfR3I
And I’m standing here waiting forcopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1Ho6ONpJt
Prince Charming to sweep me off my feetcopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡdM53msRxnk
and save me from my blundering giants,copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡiahsHy7NkN
and broken braceletscopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡfH8w38uN9u
but this isn’t a fairy tale.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMKt4SmZLv
There aren’t any evil step-mothers, glass slippers, or princes.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5qmq6yg7uD
.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yRuwL0n39
So I’m left to face my dragons alone in their lairscopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡPNngZXneRG
where gold puddles mix with dragon flamecopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡAF8tQGgVzp
as my words are torched and set to burn.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡZoV4vVE7Me
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And my own inner demons shutter mecopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡBM0s8q0dcb
into my past like Cinderella’s step-mother lockedcopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡLKJnbYvPUe
her in the attic to silence her.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡeeRT8AWWcq
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I am silenced toocopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2ZKejTxSz
because discontent roils in Moby Dick’s stomach.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdu4JPhvK8
A choppy sea does not lend to smooth sailing.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUrtBnUFS5
.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dxbobaYDR
And I am lost because I cannot move forwardcopyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3E5kGfqyw
without knowing who I was,copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jBGyo92Kv
and I can’t see the point because I cannot write a poem.copyright protection353ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6ptoKoBq1
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