My Wallflowers [rev] Poem by Margaret Alice Second

Some of the basic choices I made are held in a strongbox
for which I don't have a key - I cannot unlock and change
these decisions; and then I read Seth's opinion; thoughts,
ideas, feelings and convictions form a galaxy - and some
core choices form big planets with smaller ideas orbiting
them; I'll have to think about this -

My choices do not allow such leeway that my life could
ever veer off into parallel dimensions as the threads of
my life is woven; a stable pattern remains as I take the
same options over & over - so none of my heroines are
allowed to lose a love - at least not while I'm telling her
story - which may start at the point where a loved one's

Been a long time lost; no heroine of mine saunters down
dark, lonely streets to be assaulted or hurt irretrievably -
none need overcome the pain & shame of wrong moral
choices - it must sound boring to the more enterprising -
who send characters into any situation for excitement
and to experience challenges, creating ravishing

Protagonists who end up being the most ravished also,
but not me, my wallflowers keep me entertained simply
because a rambunctious heroine leads to an easy life &
such uncomplicated love - while I prefer my Beauty lost
without the Beast's help, an unacknowledged Cinderella
who serves - her photo adorning her gravestone only

My Christine stays with the phantom, Ralph finds another
love while the phantom changes to become a handsome
young man underneath a mask of scars… I cannot inflict
suffering on my heroines when I refuse to inflict suffering
on myself - and for that matter, not any upon all others…