we were spoiled
for reality
by milk chocolate-coated fairy tales
force fed us as girls
made to swallow
not spit
myths about beauty
love
sex
taught that only pretty, pretty princesses
would be awoken by
true love’s first kiss
impossible standards of beauty
femininity
made for
bitter cherry centers
that left us empty
starving
hollow
how old were we
when we learned
that mere mortal girls
like us
would never be beautiful enough
thin enough
kind enough
pure enough
to win Prince Charming’s gold enrobed heart?
we ate up the lessons that with the right make-up
the right clothes
shoes
if we took enough quizzes
in Seventeen magazine
about how to be popular
how to catch his eye
contorted ourselves into pretzels
we might almost be enough
to be invited to dance at the ball
drink a brief taste of the pink champagne dream
before the clock struck midnight
and we turned back
into pumpkins
© 2017 Christine Elizabeth Ray – All Rights Reserved
Brave & Reckless 
And, in Disney Princess Land (with some nod to different skin tones and hair colors), the beat goes on, and on, and on, and girls grew up to discover that Price Charming looked and acted a lot like Harvey Weinstein, and that Rhett Butler didn’t give a damn.
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Well said!
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Reblogged this on cabbagesandkings524 and commented:
Christine Ray – Myths that could not but wind up busted.
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Preach, sister! ❤️
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I try my best!
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Beautiful.. a modern fairy tale 👏👏
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Thank you
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Brilliant and an excellent reflection of reality.
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Thank you so much Eugenia. I do have a tendency to get on soap boxes. . .
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It was well worth it!!
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Reblogged this on BrewNSpew and commented:
Sharing an excellent poem by Christine Elizabeth Ray. A reality check in my opinion.
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This is fire Christine. Goddamn I love it and you!
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Thank you Kristiana! Love you too!
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Marvelous poem and a warning to the young girls of the world.
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Thank you!
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