The Real Story

It is reported by the castle press agent

that the stepsisters have cut off their toes

to fit inside a glass slipper

leaving a trail of blood behind their horses

by which they have been discovered.

 

Oh, false princesses!

They will never live in the palace with the prince (such a fine boyo, too

in his wind-up codpiece and padded doublet).

 

But wait! Back on the road

the sisters look down at the drops

falling between their hooves

which are blossoming into dragons

 

and the cross-

dressing god-

mother slips out of town

 

while the paper dolls

in their pink foil balldresses and origami doublets are left hanging by tabs

from an otherwise thin story line

 

and from every corner of the Real

World the dragons come

 

dancing and hollering

on their big

imperfect

scaly

thick-toed feet.