Real Life Fairy Tale Poetry, by Heather Marie Bradley
Gretel, No Hansel
It is hard to be part of
a world that does not exist.
Where is the unconditional love mom?
Do you even deserve that title?
Hansel never stood a chance against you.
He always was your favorite though right?
I can honestly say that he tried to protect me.
Oh, but you, you made Hansel change.
You brought him into your world.
Your house of candies and sweets, as you called them.
Designed to lure him in,
to trap him in the cage you set forth.
Your little candy pills of happiness.
You changed Hansel.
You made him forget about me.
Sometimes I wonder…
Would Hansel have let me go?
There wasn't anything he could do in prison.
There was nothing I could do for him in that cage.
I did everything I was suppose to.
You probably thought,
“one kid gone, now her?”
You thought I would never find my way back home
Ha!
Were you wrong or what!
I do not want to be in your life
You are dead to me.
I wouldn’t give you the crumbs from my bread.
Playing nice does not count mom.
You cannot pretend to be a good mom and then just devour my soul.
But see…
I’m not worried.
No, no.
I ventured off by myself.
I had to, you abandoned me, remember?
I’m living the life.
I’m swimming in jewels and bathing in glory.
I was 16.
Who would’ve guessed you leaving me would make me stronger.
I’m not coming back.
Not for anything “mom”
I am happy.
And just so you know,
I can come crash into your world anytime I please.
It’s not hard.
See, I have a path right back to you.
It’s called Amtrak,
You know, the train I used to move to a different state when you left me.
Yeah that!
There are tracks that lead straight down to the bayou.
I can come back and destroy your life.
Where is the unconditional love mom?
Do you even deserve that title?
Hansel never stood a chance against you.
He always was your favorite though right?
I can honestly say that he tried to protect me.
Oh, but you, you made Hansel change.
You brought him into your world.
Your house of candies and sweets, as you called them.
Designed to lure him in,
to trap him in the cage you set forth.
Your little candy pills of happiness.
You changed Hansel.
You made him forget about me.
Sometimes I wonder…
Would Hansel have let me go?
There wasn't anything he could do in prison.
There was nothing I could do for him in that cage.
I did everything I was suppose to.
You probably thought,
“one kid gone, now her?”
You thought I would never find my way back home
Ha!
Were you wrong or what!
I do not want to be in your life
You are dead to me.
I wouldn’t give you the crumbs from my bread.
Playing nice does not count mom.
You cannot pretend to be a good mom and then just devour my soul.
But see…
I’m not worried.
No, no.
I ventured off by myself.
I had to, you abandoned me, remember?
I’m living the life.
I’m swimming in jewels and bathing in glory.
I was 16.
Who would’ve guessed you leaving me would make me stronger.
I’m not coming back.
Not for anything “mom”
I am happy.
And just so you know,
I can come crash into your world anytime I please.
It’s not hard.
See, I have a path right back to you.
It’s called Amtrak,
You know, the train I used to move to a different state when you left me.
Yeah that!
There are tracks that lead straight down to the bayou.
I can come back and destroy your life.
I am not Little Red Riding Hood
“Listen to your grandma,”
they said,
but I am not Little Red Riding Hood.
I should have tried to be a good girl;
walk through the world and not speak to strangers.
Grandma said, be careful!
Boys only want one thing.
But I did not listen to grandma,
I am not Little Red Riding Hood.
He was so charming,
with those wolf gray eyes.
So when he told me I was beautiful,
it was easy to go to bed with him
because I did not listen to grandma,
I am not Little Red Riding Hood.
Now there is a growing baby inside of me
and he wants me to cut the baby out of me.
He says I might as well be filled with bricks.
He does not understand that doing this would burden me; so bad that it would kill me.
I never expected him to hurt us,
but he was a wolf with the friendliest personality like my grandma.
I wonder if he ever visits our grave,
I mean- he decided mine and the baby’s fate.
Now that we are out of the picture.
I wonder how many more girls he will do this to again
That devilish wolf,
such a hideous excuse for a person.
All I can say is that,
I hope girls listen to their grandma,
I hope little girls can be a Little Red Riding Hood.
but I am not Little Red Riding Hood.
I should have tried to be a good girl;
walk through the world and not speak to strangers.
Grandma said, be careful!
Boys only want one thing.
But I did not listen to grandma,
I am not Little Red Riding Hood.
He was so charming,
with those wolf gray eyes.
So when he told me I was beautiful,
it was easy to go to bed with him
because I did not listen to grandma,
I am not Little Red Riding Hood.
Now there is a growing baby inside of me
and he wants me to cut the baby out of me.
He says I might as well be filled with bricks.
He does not understand that doing this would burden me; so bad that it would kill me.
I never expected him to hurt us,
but he was a wolf with the friendliest personality like my grandma.
I wonder if he ever visits our grave,
I mean- he decided mine and the baby’s fate.
Now that we are out of the picture.
I wonder how many more girls he will do this to again
That devilish wolf,
such a hideous excuse for a person.
All I can say is that,
I hope girls listen to their grandma,
I hope little girls can be a Little Red Riding Hood.
The Plain One Unlocks Love
Child, let me tell you
of the world.
Of a place you are forced to live.
You are not going to be giving much of a chance.
You will be that little poor girl to many.
As your life crashes a new one will form.
Form into something beautiful that you will have to work for.
You will have to remember this child!
It is okay to feel lost, like everyone around you is dead.
It is just a life being killed.
You will wake up in despair and completely in a daze as to how you can go on living.
You will question God, you will reason with yourself, and then you will have to do what everyone has to;
Wait.
But grandma, I want love.
Real love where he will spoil me and give me everything my heart desires.
Oh child, love is a thing that comes to the persistent.
You will never be handed a love.
If love ever comes your way easily then leave it.
You will have love that comes through like a robber in the night.
He will take all your prized possessions.
When this happens, do whatever you can to survive and to strive.
Take what you can, but child, don't take more than you give.
Fall in love, but not too fast!
Listen with your heart, but survive.
Do what has to be done for you, for remember
Take what you can, but child, don't take more than you give.
Do not find the love that spoils you as you wish.
Find the love that awakens your curiosity.
The love, you are willing to do anything for.
Only when you find this plain love will you be able to enjoy the pleasures of life.
When this happens--
Open your arms up into this new life-- to a love that will grab around you like a tree,
to a love that will stand strong for you even through the wind.
For this love, oh my child, this love is something they pave golden streets for.
A type of love that will reward you all your days.
My grandmother was always right.
There is something about a love that frees you from the cage you are in.
and when I lie my head down beside my husband each night--
I hear her whisper.
Take what you can, but child, don't take more than you give.
Of a place you are forced to live.
You are not going to be giving much of a chance.
You will be that little poor girl to many.
As your life crashes a new one will form.
Form into something beautiful that you will have to work for.
You will have to remember this child!
It is okay to feel lost, like everyone around you is dead.
It is just a life being killed.
You will wake up in despair and completely in a daze as to how you can go on living.
You will question God, you will reason with yourself, and then you will have to do what everyone has to;
Wait.
But grandma, I want love.
Real love where he will spoil me and give me everything my heart desires.
Oh child, love is a thing that comes to the persistent.
You will never be handed a love.
If love ever comes your way easily then leave it.
You will have love that comes through like a robber in the night.
He will take all your prized possessions.
When this happens, do whatever you can to survive and to strive.
Take what you can, but child, don't take more than you give.
Fall in love, but not too fast!
Listen with your heart, but survive.
Do what has to be done for you, for remember
Take what you can, but child, don't take more than you give.
Do not find the love that spoils you as you wish.
Find the love that awakens your curiosity.
The love, you are willing to do anything for.
Only when you find this plain love will you be able to enjoy the pleasures of life.
When this happens--
Open your arms up into this new life-- to a love that will grab around you like a tree,
to a love that will stand strong for you even through the wind.
For this love, oh my child, this love is something they pave golden streets for.
A type of love that will reward you all your days.
My grandmother was always right.
There is something about a love that frees you from the cage you are in.
and when I lie my head down beside my husband each night--
I hear her whisper.
Take what you can, but child, don't take more than you give.
References
-
Hays, Jesse L. Mary Hays Walking Along Railroad Track. Digital image. Florida Memory. State Archives of Florida, 1912. Web. May 2015.
Grimm Brothers. "All Family Resources." Grimms Fairy Tales. Web. 19. Apr. 2015.
Mays, Deja P. Wolf Boy. 2015. Canvas. Private, Mississippi.
Miller, Karen M. One Better. Digital image. Karen Maezen Miller. N.p., Jan. 2013. Web. May 2015.
Oza, Javin. Road Less Traveled. Digital image. Javin Oza Photography. Word Press, July 2012. Web. May 2015.
Zipes, Jack. "Hansel and Gretel." The Great Fairy Tale Tradition. New York: W.W. Norton, 2001. 711-16. Print.
Zipes, Jack. "Little Red Riding Hood." The Great Fairy Tale Tradition. New York: W.W. Norton, 2001. 745-46. Print.