Snow White

Cherry

By marandina

Fri, 01 Jul 2022
  • 1286 reads
9 comments
 

Audio version at: https://soundcloud.com/user-62051685/snow-white-mp3

 

Snow White

Fiery, phosphorous sun arced lower,

day summoning the arrival of night,

castle turrets silhouetted on the horizon,

canopy of forests sprawled at its feet.

A mirror waiting; ornate, carved,

ethereal curator of arcane beauty,

listening for questions couched in vanity,

“Who is the fairest in the land?”

Shattered metaphor – an answer given,

huntsman charged, search for a heart,

faced with the innocence of youth,

valour overcomes the darkest deeds.

So she fled into the cover of forest,

where roe deer skirted past trees,

wolves howled at midnight moons

and shadows danced in the gloom.

In a clearing, dwelling obscured, so small,

where silent sanctuary could be found,

in the later, nascent light of morning,

dwarven miners found her sleeping.

Kindness bows, in time, to naivety,

beauty bites into the soul of the corrupt,

an apple shared, deceived by a hag-queen,

slumped, poisoned, now resting eternal.

A glass coffin surrounded by birds,

Snow White slumbered in death so long,

ghosts of the past finally laid to rest

by a beatific, lingering kiss of resurrection.

 

Image free to use at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schneewittchen-Otto-Kubel.jpg

*Snow White is a 19th century fairy tale first published by the Brothers Grimm in 1812. It is known in German as Schneewittchen.

 

 

Certificate PG
Poem
Fairy tales
Fantasy

Comments

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

I must look up my Grimm Fairy Tales. I feel a bit confused about Snow White, and when I googled just now, realised like many there are variations on the theme. You highlight the themes being raised.

I wonder how many celebrities get obsessed with their appearance and bothered by jealousy, and do not realise the effect character has upon beauty perceived, both positively and negatively?

As a child I liked reading the Grimm's but disliked Hans Anderson and Alice in Wonderland, but I think my reasons were a dislike of their illustrations! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for reading, Rhiannon - these old folklore stories do change over time. Most people think of the Disney version of "Snow White". Invariably, the original tales are darker. Paul

 

Submitted by celticman on

beauty bites. Indeed it does. 

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for reading, CM. Beauty and the bite - yes...

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks so much for the cherries, ABC eds. Much appreciated. Paul

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Love your showing of this tale in your poem Paul.. Especially like the lines:

So she fled into the cover of forest,

where roe doeer skirted past trees,

wolves howled at midnight moons

and shadows danced in the gloom,

 

theses lines show how scary it must have been for Snow White, and adds to the tension of your poem.

Very much enjoyed.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by marandina on

Ah thanks for, Jenny. I like trying to interpret fairy tales. They are an established part of folklore and culture. Paul :) 

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

I completely missed out on this wonderful interpretation - thanks for posting and congratulations on the cherries. Some of the old fairytales were very grim weren't they! The Disney versions are so one dimensional

 

Submitted by marandina on

Oh thank you for reading, insert/Claudine. I love interpreting old fairy tales. They are an eternal source of wonder, especially the original, darker versions. Paul