Goldilocks
She wafted in like a nymph,
charmed us with her grace,
her birch-pale skin, hair
the liquid gold of butter,
melted on a silvered tongue.
Neither aloof nor overbearing
we folded her in hugs, shared
our bowls and our picnic rugs,
as we served up our hearts,
not too hot, not too cold,
and in return she helped us bear
the grisly pain of my mother’s fight,
became my father’s buttress,
supporting him in his gnawing fear
of an unhappy ending.
She broke our family seat,
poisoned Mother’s happy-ever-after,
fed Father a new once-upon-a-time.
Very sweet and very clear,
she dripped her honey in his willing ear,
took herself to his bed,
declared it just right.
Stella Wulf’s work has been widely published and has appeared in several anthologies, including #MeToo, and The Very Best of 52. Her pamphlet, After Eden, was published by 4Word Press www.4word.org