Snake-like tendrils stretch out,
Grasping for purchasing
Like hair in the wind
Yet strong, powerful
Intentional in their reach.
Feet firmly planted
Basking in the sun
Indifferent to the eyes
Watching in wonder
Unaware of the tension
Holding her in place.
A prisoner of her own strength
Held in place by tendrils of memory
Longing to let go yet
Afraid of the horror left
In the wake of her collapse
She stands tall, proud,
Hiding the cracks in her foundation.
Images of hopeless dreams
Hopeful wishes floating
Manifested in four words
Fairytale ending unreached.
Will you marry me?
She held her breath
Not believing the truth
Ignoring all the waving flags
Someone choosing me
Eternally tied, entwined
Like vines or thorns
Ripping at her peace
Something just seems wrong
Not the unrequited side
But the force of feigned affection
Falsifying all likelihoods
She kept the secret
Questioning her answer
From the start
Knowing the end would come
Stuck in the guise of her own making
Afraid of the whispers
Haunted by the cost
The dress like a specter
Everything ready except the official
Frozen words build walls all around
His truth breaking through
Releasing her transformed
Unafraid of the looks
His harsh words of self-hatred
The relieved sigh of retraction
Paper butterflies flew untethered
