Second-Hand Cinderella
First line from Sylvia Plath's Cinderella: "The prince leans to the girl in the scarlet heels"
The peaceful night, some fleeting glimpse—the
Prince, smiles—sickening the room with entitlement—she
leans away from his slick hands and sticky eyes
to better sights. Where were glittering specs of
the stars? behind the hand-stitched tapestry clouds? This
girl, never wanted, used to that feeling—
in this moment, no crown, or prince, or
scarlet sash could convince her
heels to stay, while the night is cool and safe