Once upon a time they made me a queen

he said it was because my skin glistened with a sheen

unmatched by others

it was the glow of youth that made me your stepmother

married now and praised by all

I was his beauty, untainted and small

but as you grew your beauty bloomed 

and I knew that I was soon doomed

for all I had was this one thing 

it was my glow that attracted my king

and now the cursed bell of time draws near 

and I no longer will be fair I fear

what is a woman if not young 

as useless as a poet without tongue 

what am I without my mirror 

each day draws time nearer 

I fear the sagging of my skin

I fear that I will have no kin

and then what is a woman

useless, without fruit in-human

the child grows more each day

and men’s eyes have wandered her way

what else is there to do 

for if there is no me, then there is you

too beautiful to be kept hidden

I know my thoughts are forbidden

killing a child, a heinous sin

but I feel my skin grow thin

and soon there will be nothing left of me

and everyone will turn to thee

I wish I was more than how I appear

but in this world, it’s very clear

without my beauty I am worthless 

and my heart, a fiery furnace 

I know, Snow White, that you are innocent 

but in this flesh there is imprisonment

so in your final days I pray

you return a man to avoid dismay

for being a woman is temporary bliss

each passing second, a fleeting kiss

this apple, child, will bring you sleep

and in that wondrous splendor your youth will keep

forgive me lord, for the envy in my heart

and keep me beautiful until I depart 

oh little Snow, it is not me 

for this apple fell from poisonous tree

it is the thought that women must

compete for love, attention, lust

and you a victim, same as I 

two beauties under the same blue sky 

but alas there can only be one

and so, little White, your time has come.