Rapunzel
They keep calling out to me,
These strangers
Asking me to let down my hair
Begging me to open my door
Telling me they’re here to help
My mother’s out there
Saying I haven’t been the same since
That day
Of course not, mother
How could I be? He’s gone
Father was my rock. He’s gone
We lost him and moved here
He died and you made me leave
What’s a friend, mother?
I can’t remember anymore,
They all stopped
Asking me to let down my hair
Begging me to open my door
Telling me they’re here to help
They left me, mother
Just like father, save one thing
They didn’t die, he did
Soon you’ll leave me too
That’s why I won’t do it
Finally, finally it’s done
Nobody’s doing it anymore
Asking me to let down my hair
Begging me to open my door
Telling me they’re here to help
They all left
They all gave up
They’re all gone
Even my mother left…
…who’s there?
That voice, it’s new but
It isn’t strange. Not like the others
Who is she? I don’t know her
So why is she doing it?
Telling me it’s okay if I don’t
If I don’t let down my hair
If I don’t open my door
If I don’t want help
She says that it’s okay
That she’ll wait as long as I need.
I stay for a long time
My back against the door
Running my hands through my hair
I feel her on the other side
Waiting patiently, calmly
She fills me with peace
I open the door, and she’s there
Smiling with a face like my own
She says to me
“I miss father too,”
“I’m sorry we met this way,”
“I’m you’re half-sister,”
Impossible things but I believe her
It’s over now, I did it
I cut off my hair, like it used to be
I opened the door and met my older sister
I accepted her help, I’m a little better now
Because of her, I can be what I was before
A son to make his father proud
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