The Puzzle Princess

Save the Puzzle Princess with the hairpin heart,
her thoughts tied in knots a game of draughts,
scratched the brow ‘neath her crown of flowers.
Shortest the drawn straw that sets the dare
to try and capture locks of her ebon hair;
the monsters strong and journey long, and
magic master masons built tall her stone walls,
thaumaturges twisted tight her mosaic mazes.
One must memorize masses of immemorial phrases,
find places for all sorts of keys, store royal runes
in a blessed backpack made of twigs and leaves.
You’ll have to recover and wield a swallowed sword
to crack the codes, smash the idols, pierce the wards,
break the mirrored edge, rip the clocks to shreds,
fight the fear most primal, and allay the thickest dread.
Save not your breath for silly ballyhoo ballrooms
but dance a dangle dance and sing a jingle song.
Lest you succumb and die a dusky death,
wish for giant’s brawn and the lordliest crest, to
march the maggy marshes, cut the sheerest mountains,
swim the fairy fountains, brave the brightest dawn,
and sail the perilous pearl sea. When thirsty ask for night
to slake the endless and quench your abyssal grief.
After the dragon’s dead and your chest cradles her head
pray for reckless rain to bathe you both in cloudy praise.
Now that you’ve told the secret, unraveled the mystery,
forge silver spiders’ silk, thread the story anew,
string tight the wandered woof, wane the waxing moon
on a behemoth loom made to weave the truth.
Lay her down on that starry blanket and be sure to
fuck her better than any whorish strumpet could do.
Be consumed by all the love you can take,
and when you’re good and full:
wake.