The Stroke of Midnight

While Cinderella swept,

and mopped,

and dusted, 

and folded, 

she did not make friends with soft brown mice

or blue singing birds. 

Instead, she found her joy 

with the daughter of Madame's Lady. 

They would take to playing together,

laughing together, 

reading together, 

cleaning together, 

and when they found the time, dancing together. 

As they grew older together, they reached their teens. 

With feelings of neglect they came together, 

to hide in the attic on the night of the ball.

With their mothers out of the house, 

they put on their nicest dresses and danced. 

The hems gathered dust and webs as they glided,

together.

While they danced,on the night of the ball, 

Cinderella had no fairy godmother.