The Heart She Grew

(Maleficent)

The perspective of Maleficent- fairy godmother without wings.

They cheered when she was born in gold,
A king’s delight, a tale retold.
They locked their doors when I drew near,
A shadow carved from wrath and fear.

I arrived, unasked, unbowed,
A fury wrapped in thistle and shroud.
I spoke the curse they all deserved-
Sharp and clean, each word well-served.

I cursed her with bitter breath,
A cradle marked with whispered death.

A spindle’s prick. A sleeping doom.
A rose to wilt before it bloomed.
That was my justice. That was my pride.
They took my wings- what more had I?

But she grew, despite it all,
A laughing echo through the fall.
She danced with dew, she chased the light,
She made the thorns bloom soft and bright.

She was sunlight wrapped in skin,
A foolish thing too pure to win.
Born of greed, and stitched from lies,
Yet somehow soft enough to rise.

I meant to hate her- meant to wait
To see her pricked by a needle of fate.
But every giggle, every gaze,
Pulled me from my vengeful haze.

She called me kind. She knew no fear.
She thought the dark had drawn her near
Not to harm, but to protect-
What child sees love where hate was set?

Oh, foolish girl with golden hair,
Who loved a shadow unaware.
She taught my frozen heart to stir,
Till I forgot I once hated her.

I watched her sleep. I held my breath.
I begged the gods to spare her death.
And when the kiss of princes and charm
Could do no good, could bring no balm-

It was my tears, my whispered plea,
That broke the curse, that set her free.
A fairy’s love, not prince’s kiss-
A truth the stories always miss.

She was my own curse that I lift,
The wound that healed, the gift.
She called me love, she called me kin-
And I was whole, because of her, not him.

So let them write me dark and grim,
Let myths paint horns and vengeance dim.
But if you must remember me,
Then tell them this, and let it be:

That I once cursed a newborn's breath-
But loved her more than life or death.