I am the shadow

Sleeping Beauty
Cinderella
Ariel
It’s always about the princess
It’s her shoes we can imagine slipping on
Her bed we awake from
Her ocean we walk out of
It’s the butterflies in her belly that we feel in our own
Regardless of who we are
Man, woman, or child
The prince is a shadow on a sunny day
Present
But hardly the point
Except of course to the prince
He’s there too
He’s scared too
It’s not easy to face a fire breathing dragon
Fight your way through a forest of thorns
Or confront a wicked witch
He’s lonely too
We’re not talking about Arabian Nights after all
He’s not after his fourth princess
If he doesn’t get the princess
He’s still at home with mom and dad
Ultimately
He’s at the mercy of someone else too
He doesn’t know that she’ll wake up
Or choose to give up a watery kingdom for him
Or whether happily ever after really is
I’m not sure I want to slip on his
Huntsman’s knee boots
But I’m not sure I have a choice
I danced with my daughter
While she was wearing a borrowed princess pajama dress
And I heard it
When she turned to her friend
And said
“I got the prince”
I know his pain
I know his joy
And I’ll be the shadow