as far as i know
she sleeps every night
in her gilded tower
on the softest bed
surrounded by works of art
that have nothing
on her.

a moat
surrounds the tower
filled with snapping crocodiles
a knight
in blackest mail
stands guard
to keep evil doers at bay.

in the morning
bluebirds land on her sill
and trill happily
to wake her
with a smile
to greet the sun
as it rises
for her pleasure.

far from her kingdom
i muck the stables
harvest the grain
shoe the horses
dig the ditches
and dream
of her smiling down on me.

just once.

but
i am
as insignificant
as an ant
beneath her notice
not worthy
of her to know
that i exist
at all.

there is
a natural order to things
you see.

practically darwinian.

she exists on another
evolutionary scale
from someone
like me.

she is meant to rule.

i am
meant to write
with my poisoned pen
odes of longing.