Once upon a time-
Begins in parallel life
The story of love
Not completely true
But not without its value
That halts because internal worth
Is measured by different meters.

And time was of the essence.
Yet time lingered in flesh
Vivid gift of memory  
Sweet sweat trickled down her back
Cradling his head in her lap.

When time again began,
Light shone through cracks
in the perfection.

One, occupied by burdensome things,  
Constrained.
Unready for change,
Overwhelming helter-skelter.

The other, craved a mention
Between chaotic interventions,
And, possibly a promise-
A hope for more than
“A day at a time.”

Passion turning languid,
Green-eyed-monsters birthed.
Words unspoken swallowed,
And spit out in garbled tongue.

Led to the perfect storm
of a time whence upon
Two lovers grew apart
But couldn’t part.

So they lived and loved
in parallel dimensions
Never forgetting.
Never regretting.

once, a blonde, sandy head entered my view,
with eyes of clear skies, shiny drops of dew,
a laugh of windchimes and stars, ringing true,
a smile of cherry cola, sweet and new.
transfixed, i gazed, entranced and enchanted,
at the misty sunlight, almost dancing
around her, as seeds were firmly planted,
at the sight of a nymph prancing.
but suddenly, i was back in English,
and she was looking at me, the angel,
her soft dimples framing her face, sheepish,
as she reached for a pen, somehow graceful,
while i stuttered out a yes, mumbling,
and cupid groaned, my own heart stumbling.

The cold bodies rustled through the golden leaves of the forest as the young vampires Aleksandr, Lev and his sister Ana along with a handful of rogue vampires were searching for prey and the night was dark as the vampires hunted. They traced the prey’s scent until Ana raised her voice behind him, "Alek!", a lone werewolf lunged upon him as he opened his fangs to strike the werewolf with a fanged scratch to his muzzle, the werewolf then winced before vanishing into the woods as his brother Lev came up next to him and murmured “that was too close to the sun” as Ana agreed, “we were fortunate to have not killed the werewolf” and Aleksandr understood their words, for he knew that if he had slain the werewolf then the vampires and werewolves would enter war.

The gusts of wind had blown back Aleksandr’s long, wavy light ash blond hair as the group had returned to the cabin by the elder trees blanketed with green moss and were known by their branches that twisted, cascaded then descended as life and death itself. While the vampires spoke in the cabin, he walked out and started the path to the stream while his muscled arms lightly swayed to the music of the crickets in song. The stars shone as he reached the familiar waters, Aleksandr then heard the soft wings in flight approaching him as he witnessed his fairy companion Hilaera in flight towards him, he widened his scarlet eyes that sunk into the light of the moon as he smiled gently at her and called, “You have arrived at last, my beloved”.

Hilaera held her vampire close to her as he felt her scent of jasmine, wild berries and herbs, Aleksandr then ran his hand through her soft dark brown hair as her warm, magical light had floated upon them in their unity. As time had come to pass while the light of dawn slowly crept, Aleksandr sensed Hilaera’s flower-perfumed embrace in her kiss before she whispered to him “Often I muse, what do I mean in your heart, Alek"? The vampire glistened in his eyes and murmured, “You alone are love, that is the rose of beauty and thorns”. The two lovers felt the golden light falling upon the earth and Aleksandr was compelled to leave before he whispered to his lover, “Our goodbye is never forever” to which she returned in her magical voice, “Yes, for you are the moon to my petals as I am reborn in your arms” as they parted ways through the forest, for the sun awakens the earth and the moon lies in waiting for the lovers.

Not in a palace, but rather where purpose redeems,
Cinderella learnt the value of dreams.
She discovered her own brightness
amid the ashes—not by elaborate clothing, but rather with inner strength,  that's surely inspiring.

Despite the loud mocking from her step-sisters ,
she managed to rise above the superficial whispers.
Her inner personality was shown in deeds of kindness;
Her daily compass was patience and righteousness.

Her destiny wasn't sealed by the glass slipper, but it did highlight her great in  her ,
Since genuine magic exists in her heart
So bold that it sets her apart


Ler her path to encourage you to take a chance
It’s when you struggle you will find your stance
Let Cinderella's story be a reflection for you to see
That everyone of us has the ability to set ourselves free .

©Priyanka Bhagat

A muse will amuse herself with little interaction that spark the fires of artistic endeavor.

A muse will amuse herself with the poking and proding of the weather beaten beast that boasts of great skills in the caging of thoughts and feelings.

A muse will wither away in a place where there is nothing to amuse herself with...

Therefore she will search for that one hunter that can track down the wildest of ideas, the one that can take down the most dangerous experiences and tame them for the masses.

She will land on the shoulders of that one predator that can drag prey into the dwelling of the many and feed them all with the morsels of this glorious hunt.

So hunt on, dear hunter.
Hunt on and be the plaything of thine muse.