You awoke one morning with violets growing on your pale skin. Satin blue and viridian were their complements, and no one asked how possible it was
for one green pea, (not even brown or hardened with age) to penetrate twenty mattresses then twenty feather beds and still leave marks so shaped
like the palm of a man's hand.
~
What has happened, princess? They say you passed the queen's test, with falling colors
stripped nude before retiring, were inspected for purity and pallor by him.
~
Tell me in your whisper low in your leaf lullaby voice: did he enter your chamber like a fox in that dark,
roll you from that bed to the floor many times? I am only interested that no one asked
why you were so unhappy that morning: where all concerned ate pigeons at the table,
grease dripping from lips pink birds bleeding, then thrown back to flames.
I imagine you sat waiting between diners passing platters;
and no one listened for the terror in the poise of your voice.
~
You came to his castle in poverty; perhaps he knew that your father was ruined in the potato famine, or that your mother died
of plague or that you were trapped like a hatchling on a lizards tongue
by his mother's bold games with impossible tests. No, this would not be
the first time this mother protected this son
with public euphemisms, a bruise pea, a lie. She knew
your skin was so tender it would always be: available for darkening unquestioned when maimed;
yes, it would become her favorite son's favorite alibi forever.
About the Author
Heather Fowler received her M.A. in English and Creative Writing from Hollins University in May of 1997 and currently resides in her hometown of San Diego, CA. Her stories have appeared or been selected for publication in the following journals: Mississippi Review online (October 2007); The See You Next Tuesday Anthology (2006), Frigg: A Magazine of Fiction and Poetry (Winter 2006), the muse apprentice guild (October 2002), artisan, a journal of craft (September 2002), Literary PotPourri (May 2002), Exquisite Corpse (May, 2001), The Barcelona Review (May, 2001), Quercus Review (May, 2001), Penumbra (May 2001), B & A New Fiction (Jan. 2001), Barbaric Yawp (Dec. 2000), Zoetrope All-Story Extra (June 2001, October and December 1999), Mindkites (December 1999, and June 2000).
Today's Class Topic: Rape It takes a lot of courage for you, Jess, and other women and men to speak out about what happen to them. I believe that ...
Meet the Cover Artist
About Sheilagh O'Leary
Sheilagh Ethne O’Leary is an established award-winning art photographer born and living in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Her work has been exhibited/collected internationally and appears in numerous art journals and publications. Sheilagh received her art education through mentorship with Manfred Buchheit, Concordia University’s Faculty of Fine Art, Banff Centre for the Arts, and the Rockport Maine Workshops. Read More...