Poem: The frank fairy speaks a fast track fairytale
Once upon a time
Stuff happened
Good and bad
Beauties
Beasties
Wolves
Witches
Ogres
Poverty and royalty
Then there’s the forest
There’s always a forest
Magic happened
And then?
They all lived in denial
They all lived ‘happily’ ever dafter
Good night sweet dreams
Review: The frank fairy speaks a fast track fairytale
My mistake was to skip straight to the word ‘fairytale’ in the title of the poem. In the middle of checking emails, I was in the mode for a nostalgic quick fix when I saw the poem pop up (poems have a tendency to do that sort of thing at times) Even though it said ‘fast track’ it didn’t put me off, au contraire. Excellent, I thought. We’re all pushed for time aren’t we and everything needs to be quick and instant, doesn’t it? I’d be sure to get a good dose of innocence and nostalgia, right?
…Wrong!
To hear those words ‘once upon a time’ How soothing an introduction I thought to myself.
Oh, how it takes me be back to those magical moments of childhood. Storytelling at primary school and at home in the evening, the bedtime stories. This quickie of a poem however reads differently to that of the cosy intro. It is indeed more than a just a ‘fast’ quick read. It’s broad, blunt, succinct, to the point and revelatory. Not at all fluffy. No. Fear and fantasy has to feature. It prompts the reader to think of the fairy-tales that they know of from childhood. Royalty with the delusion of being saved by a prince. Oh, how I laugh at this sort of thing as well as the other well known implausible tales I’ve remembered involving bears with their furniture and porridge. A pumpkin features too. Also breadcrumbs, glass slippers, a cat in boots and even a gingerbread house. These far-fetched stories were and still are told to little boys and girls. Really and why? What ‘bright spark’ thought this was a good idea? I’m not saying it isn’t. It’s all about who is saying it to a child and if they can cope with the comeback that could arise from having said it? Nightmares occurring and not the sweet dreams? Potential traumas, eh? I’ll stop there.
Mind you, one could argue fairy tales are a good talking point and is preparing the much younger generation for the shocks, injustices and general upset from the real-life stories that have occurred throughout history and do indeed happen in everyday life?
Who’d be a journalist reporting on the constant upheavals, evils, and general misery in the world?
Limit the watching of these flat screen intruders I’d suggest. It’s not their fault. The news is not of their doing. It’s never good to shoot a messenger. We need communicators, yes, the good ones. With the rest, push that ‘off’ button I’d suggest.
Talking of which, all the characters within the poem could be applied to real folk of today with what’s going on globally or a lot closer to home?
Think about it?
Who are the genuine beauties? What are they doing?
Who are the beasties, the witches, and the ogres?
We all know or have known one or two.
As with the poem, poverty and royalty features here in the U.K
Both gain attention for different reasons. All living and visiting have views.
Forests feature too which is pleasant when the sun is shining. When it’s dark, with no light, it’s a different story. As the big forests throughout the world are reportedly ‘on the dwindle’
I do hope that the green spaces within my city of London will never be eclipsed by the monstrous stacked shoebox, branded as a ‘luxury lifestyle’, way of living’ Is it too late?
Is that the modern day ‘living in denial’ that the poet touches upon? As a result would folk be living happily ever after or dafter? It’s all down to perspectives and credit approvals I supppose. I’ll leave it there.
I think I’ll opt for a gingerbread house if one was to come up on the market and pay for it with some magic beans!
Call it far-fetched optimism but hopeful never the less! As I have learned and I’m still learning, anything is possible. Creativity is crucial. I bid the poet a good night. Thank you for the observation.
