poison for the fairies / a witch in the making 

after the 1986 film 

i wish only to be 

wicked— yes, of course i want 

your shoes/your dolls/your dog

i want so much 

more than my rocking-chair family & fairy books.

come cook in my cauldron, come dig through my graves. 

this is my wooden cross

to bear, this is my friendship 

& what’s yours should also belong to me. 

the other girls wag their tongues when i pet

the snake in my crayon box, but not you. 

you wait & fear me

& then set a fire & watch me 

burn, a smile on your face. 

tale as old as time: i butter myself 

up. i slurp up my soup & do my homework

like a good girl. 

why is it that those with more than you 

will always take the only thing you have?