It was easy to dream

Around that shining square table.

Every morning

Mama made coffee

And wound ribbons in my hair.

The ribbons: white, fussy,

It took so long to make the bows

She pulled my long curls

Sometimes I cried

But mostly she said

“Tell me a story.”

The stories came easy

While she made coffee

And tied the complex bows.

The frog

Always turned back into

The princess

And the evil witch

Flew away

And there was always

“Happily ever after.”

“Don’t cry,” she said

“You’re going to be beautiful

Like a princess

In a story.”

And then she poured the coffee

And sitting with her

Waiting for sunrise

Drinking coffee

Like a grown-up

With huge white bows on my head

Like a crown

I felt beautiful.