Sunday, September 26, 2010

Poetry Bus - A Faery Tale


Cinderella's Castle
My submission for Postcard Friendship Friday (Postmarked May, 1977) has taken a late seat on the Poetry Bus.
Funny that the writer, Judy, should mention her feet! Perhaps the glass slippers were a poor choice for the day. And then, there's that quaint "You All". Don't ya'll know it's pronounced ya'll, Judy? Have some hushpuppies an' grits, and ya'll will start saying it right.



This week the first stop for the Poetry Bus is on More About The Song - Rambling with Rachel Fox


Rachel has asked all Poetry Bus patrons to write a poem based on a character from a children's story, book, comic etc. I chose my all time favorite, Cinderella.

We all think of Cinderella as a 19th century Grimm's Brother's tale, but the Cinderella theme has been in existence for thousands of years and may have originated in Greece about 100 BC.

The story we are most familiar with - the one with mice and pumpkins, was written by Charles Perrault in 1697. According to Wikipedia, the French title was "Cendrillon ou la petite pantoufle de verre" - or - "Cinderella with the little shoes of glass". The original shoes were described as being made of fur - probably that of a grey squirrel. Those might have been more comfy than glass slippers but certainly not as beautiful - or magical!

Cinderella's life was quite a happy one until the untimely death of her beautiful mother. As we all know, her wicked step-mother made life miserable for the child. Her mother, however, had instilled her with the charm and grace so valued in that time. Those are the qualities, along with her beauty, that saved her from her miserable life - with a little help from her Fairy Godmother. Perhaps her mother also gave her some very important advice:

Some Vine Advice for Cinderella

I tiptoed to my mother's bed

Lest Nurse should find me there

To tuck in all the covers

And brush her golden hair

Her sun would set within the hour

But for now she was my own

She whispered in her fading voice

" Child you'll not be left alone

Faeries will watch over you

They live in garden yon

And will console your splintered heart

When you are set upon"


She gave to me a tiny gift

All wrapped in cloth-of-gold

And brightly sewn with little pearls

At the edges and the fold


"Please, Daughter take the seeds within

This pretty little packet

And plant them on your 16th year

with care as sweet as sacket

Rake and hoe consistently

And daily give a dunkin'

You never know...the day may come

When you will need a pumpkin."


Cynthia Ann Conciatu 09/26/10

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cynthia, my dear, you have outdone yourself with this lovely, fairy-tale of a poem! It is charming. I love it and I love you, sissy. If only I shared in your talent with words...
Mary Lou

Titus said...

Wotcha (that's how we spell it) MuseSwings, so glad I came. How prescient that postcard - "my feet will never be the same" - and I loved the way you were sending me in the wrong direction from the off - beginning with the Cinderella-story history, then the epic tone at the start of the poem.
And then the brilliant denouement, which honestly took me by surprise - not sure I knew where were going until "dunkin'"

Mock-epic greatness!

Doctor FTSE said...

It's a gem, an absolute gem!
(I've heard various "explanations" of the glass slipper, which boil down to the similar sound of "verre" in French and "fur" in English. Imagine Cinders rushing away from the ball saying, "Hot D**n, I've broken my heel and seriously lacerated my tootsie as well.")

izzy said...

Thanks for visiting! love the rhythm
and mystical feel of this piece- yah, seeds are always good. Cheers

Niamh B said...

beautiful piece, actually really emotional, I got shivers at the thoughts of the scene described. Fab

Totalfeckineejit said...

Beautifully written.It reeled me in with lures of portent and then sucker punched me!

Domestic Oub said...

Really enjoyed your poem, left a huge smile on my face - wasn't expecting that ending :o)

Gerry Snape said...

Come the hour...come the need!

Karen said...

You had me, too, with that poetic voice and great rhythm. Didn't see the punkin coming, y'all!

Peter Goulding said...

Hook, line and sinker. Very well crafted!

Jinksy said...

This goes to the top of the class, no doubt! :)

Maureen Walsh said...

Thank you so much for your little gem, Cynthia.
Maureen X
http://wwworphanstones.blogspot.com

Argent said...

This has a sweet, but not cloying tenderness to it. I think we all need a pumpkin now and then. Really enjoyed this.

Driving Miss Willow said...

Thrilled to see you are writing poetry again. Absolutely love, love, the Cinderalla piece. Now, where's the chapbook? Your poetry flows so well with so much rhythm. Thank you for sharing your creative works. Now on to Snow White. Coffee soon? I have an idea for a chapbook for you.