The Stories I Tell Myself

London fog pulls hard on the heels of shoes two sizes too small. They weren't meant to last this long, especially in bad weather. But I imagine myself a spy; the fog and cold are trifles.

Miss Minchin doesn't like the look on my face when I return from my errand. She tells me so. It does not matter. She cannot stop me from being the heroine in my own story.

The hard world insists
the stories I tell myself
are lies. All that they are -
my foolish, cherished daydreams -
grow to feed my hope filled heart.

Song Choice:  Fight Song by Rachel Platten 




This poem was created for a prompt given at Imaginary Gardens With Real Toads: Rhubarb. We were asked to write from the perspective of a favorite childhood character. It was tough picking just one! But finally I decided on Sarah Crewe from A Little Princess by Francis Hodgson Burnett.

30 comments:

  1. It's not that long ago since I listened to The Little Princess serialised on BBC Radio 4, and I loved it. You've done Sarah justice, Rommy.

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    1. There's a BBC Radio version??? I need this in my life!

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  2. I have to admit I have not read the book ( shame on me!) but I love what you did here.Here's to the dreamers.

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  3. Omg!!!!! I love A Little Princess!" I have the newer remake and i love it. I read the book, too, but actually prefer the movie. "All girls are princesses!" Damn right.

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    1. I read and re-read my copy until the cover fell off, but I'm a fan of the movies too.

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  4. I so love "My...daydreams grow to feed my hope filled heart." Loved it.

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  5. Yes, be the heroine in your stories. Every female is the power of a princess. :)

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  6. Oh, sigh... I love every part of this. Not least the song choice pairing... 😉

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    1. I know it's soft pop, but I get misty whenever I hear it.

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  7. Yes! We all deserve to be the heroine of our own stories!

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  8. You set the scene and provide an enthralling narrative voice. I wanted to read more.

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    1. Aw! Thanks! I'm glad I did justice to one of my childhood favorites.

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  9. "my foolish, cherished daydreams -
    grow to feed my hope filled heart." Lovely

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  10. I do love this... I have only read the secret garden, but this sounds wonderful... great to hear a voice such like that...

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    1. I'm the weirdo who didn't read Secret Garden until I was older. I know that one is by far the most famous of her books.

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  11. When your poetry is kissed by storytelling, you give us Rommy magic. This is precious, my dearest friend. Sarah Crewe sounds extra real through your words.

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    1. Aw! Thanks! I always felt a close kinship to Sarah Crewe, so it was a lot of fun to get to write from her perspective. I kind of want to revisit this topic again with Anne of Green Gables, Charlotte's Web, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe too!

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  12. I saw the Shirley Temple version of the movie as a child and read the book. I much preferred the book. Excellent write.

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  13. It was only as an adult I found out how good books for girls were as well! How beautifully you wrote this Rommy.

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  14. Wonderful write! I don't know the story, but your voice is compelling!

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