Fairy Tale Ending

by Sara Pirkle

After years of winding her fears 

in tight spools, she relaxed, 

let them spill on the floor. 

The maiden sat amidst armfuls 

of ruby and emerald ribbons, 

begging for braiding. She began. 

A woman must have an escape plan. 

Satin strand over satin strand, 

she coaxed her fears into silky ropes. 

She thought of her mother, 

silent as a lilac. She thought 

of her grandmother, bitter as a stem. 

Then, she thought of her sister, 

sharp as a poisoned spindle,

industrious as a spinning wheel. 

Out of the ropes the maiden wove 

a splendid ladder. At nightfall, 

she tossed it over the garden wall. 

The ladder landed with a soft thud. 

She scrambled up, scrambled down. 

She tugged her fear-ladder free, 

hugged it to her chest as she ran 

across fields wet with lavender, 

where lizards rollicked like queens.