The Fae 🦋✨

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The little girl 

In her nightdress

Why does she work so furiously? 

In the setting dusk 

She plucks the leaves 

And rolls the moss 

So carefully and precisely 

Yet with reckless speed 

She pushes on 

Sweat she wipes 

From knotted brow 

Despite the chill 

Of gathering dark 

It is for the fae 

She knows 

Though no tongue has said 

Or eye believed 

The fae 

The fae 

They come with the night 

Their eyes are opening 

Just out of view 

In time with the stars 

That are bursting forth 

Over her head 

Food for the fae

Penance yes 

For not all beauty is good

No matter how magical 

No matter how fair 

The bowl of bark 

Is overfull 

And the last petals she places 

With love despite it all

Her mother calls her in 

And she works more furiously 

It must be perfect 

The fae will take nothing less 

Than perfection 

Her mother draws near 

With each insistent footfall 

The girl arranges another stone 

Or adjusts another petal

Her mother drags her in 

Gently though the edge underneath 

Remains under the surface 

Just like the hungry eyes 

Just out of sight

The little girl accepts 

That the adults appreciate not 

Her care and dedication 

And daily sacrifice 

Child's games they call it 

And she wishes 

To keep it that way 

She prays they never see 

Them surrounding the yard 

The waiting fae 

The next morning 

She awakes to sunlight 

Steaming in 

She rushed outside 

The bowl is perfectly overturned 

Empty 

Accepted 

Ready for repetition 

She sighs

But only just 

For the fae are never gone 

Only one more night 

Kept at bay

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