In spirit

Wake up, girl!

That song wasn't sung for you. 

You're not Snow White 

but everyone wants to poison you. 

You're not the Sleeping Beauty, 

not a Prince is crossing the forest looking for you. 

He is but asleep and sound in the castles.

He will not find you and kiss you awake.

Wake up, little girl!

That poem wasn't written on you. 

You are not Rapunzel.

Nonetheless, your hair is in tangles, overworked. 

You aren't caged in a tower, but your own thoughts.

You are not Cinderella, 

but you work for others all day! 

The ball that you had to go to, 

to find your Prince, 

never happened.

Twelve at midnight,

is your ideal bedtime.

Wake up, silly girl! 

That violin wasn't played for you. 

The Prince that you dreamt of 

never crossed your path. 

You're not a Princess.

You couldn't be. 

So you had to brace yourself, 

and become the Queen.

You won every war, 

and conquered the throne!

Wake up, brave girl!

You're not Snow White,

but you saved yourself from all the vicious beings.

You're not Sleeping Beauty, 

but you woke up every morning loving yourself.

You shared your happiness and

made others love and smile too.

You aren't Rapunzel,

but you have the shiniest hair in the world, 

and stars wrapped around you.

You aren't Cinderella, 

but you have your own glass shoes. 

And you made every Prince on that DJ night, 

desire a dance with you.

You aren't a Princess after all, 

and you didn't need a Prince.

You are but Her Majesty, 

looking for her King. 

Tara Sattar is a poet and blogger based in Dhaka.