by Ellen Huang
response to a classroom poem titled “Stop Talking”
The Sea Witch told me speech was useless
Sharp and blunt words alike cause wounds
The Blue Fairy told me it’s quite hard to be real
Puppetry, trickery leads down to ruin
The Emperor told me they’ll see right through me
We all dress things up for a reason
The Genie told me better choose carefully
Wishes hardly lead to freedom
The Fairy Godmother said it won’t last forever
Yes, the ball happens; but yes, the spell breaks
The Magic Mirror, there’ll always be someone superior
Alas, someone else now has what it takes
But the Sorcerer’s Apprentice said we must ask for help
Troubles multiply within our own power
And the Mad Hatter said it may not be my cup of tea
but we all would like sweetening the bitter or sour
I make no promises I can spin straw into gold
or ducklings into swans, mice into men
But shall I begin with a story tonight
If just for tonight life shall not end?
And if a story’s too long, your eyes too tired for second stars
(I’m still getting used to being human, as much as you are)
Then I’ll sing you a truth, a brief whisper I’m here—
It’s up to you then which part you’ll hear.
Ellen Huang does own a cape, it’s true. She holds a BA in Writing & a minor in Theatre from Point Loma Nazarene University. In her college career she’s been a skit director, a creative writing TA, and the Managing Editor for Whale Road Review. Right out of graduation she worked as a children’s tutor who was apparently “so good at voices” when reading. She now works as a scare actor at Origin Hip Hop, so she can actually relate to the scarers in Monsters, Inc. She has pieces published/forthcoming in Thimble Lit, Awkward Mermaid, Three Drops from a Cauldron, South Broadway Ghost Society, Bowery Gothic, Gingerbread House, Enchanted Conversation, Grimoire, The Poeming Pigeon, TL;DR Press, Apparition Lit, and others. She also burns wood and reenacts Disney/movie scenes on demand. Check it all out here: worrydollsandfloatinglights.wordpress.com, or follow her on Twitter: nocturnalxlight.
(And for more of Ellen in a cape, check out her poem Coffeeshop Alias from the October 7, 2019 Weekly edition. – Elephants Never)