The Fairytale Wakes

64 - Different Companions

There are times when Rapunzel,

Puts her hand to her throat

At the space, too much space

Too much space all around

And her husband comes behind her

With weary gentleness

And strokes her shoulders.

There are moments when Aurora,

Feels herself shut down.

Her eyes grow heavy, her head nods

Her body a safety mechanism

As the voice inside her shrieks

And shrieks and claws

Her children lead her to bed

And feed her soup until

She emerges a few weeks later.

There are days when Ariel feels the sea

Feels the sea creep up her legs

Over her waist, her chest, into her mouth

A tide of blackness

And nobody sees her drowning

Nobody, so she goes and saves herself

She waits out the blackness in the palace towers

And reminds herself that throwing herself out

Will do no good, even when it feels it might

Because the sea would catch her and take her away.

And Mulan has forgotten when her friend

Was not there, when she never knew the feeling

Of a tight mouth, tight throat, and clammy hands

What if they find out? Even after it's all over

So she goes inside and takes off her armour

Comes out in a dress, forces them to see

And all the while her friend holds her by the throat

Anxiety has her by the throat, but when they see

She knows it has no more power over her

They have found out. And the world moves on.

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(A/N: This one's dedicated to everyone who has ever struggled with mental illness. You're not alone).