the princess

I did not choose my name,
choose to sit upon a throne
or wear a crown of your invention,
dressed up like a doll in the dollhouse
of your good intentions.

All day long your hands
are tiny moving men
altering my home,
though I know well it's not my own.

I did not choose
the furniture in my room,
this or that shade of blue.
I did not choose to be part of this game,
to wear this face,
to live in your castle,
my cage.

And so I choose
to escape.

Cover myself a commoner,
a human girl,
a wanderer.
Mount a magic carpet ride,
try to catch the world
as it whizzes by-
to blend into its swirling colors,
hide among its starry wonders.

I imagine the sky never chose
to be blue,
but it seems content to be so
and I wonder if I could be too.

No, I did not choose my name,
or my room,
or this game-
but now that I'm here
I can choose how I play.

I can choose how I use
my crown and my throne,
I can choose to love you,
my neighbor, my mom.