Ode to the Crimson Princess

by Ze Yu Jiang

O’ White Flower born into royalty,

	The sixth day of march, the day of your spawn,

You’ve shown me the fairness inherited
	
	From my majestic beauty of the queen.


I’ve held you since your dawn of lightbringer. 

	You’re a noble serenity of day.

Worthy of inheriting royalty
	
	Bested only by the beauty of me

Why you dare purloin my graceful fairness!

	I brought forth the light to you peacefully,

And yet you shower me with treachery!

	You’ve betrayed the ordinance of beauty


I shall be the only beautiful kin.

	Only I shall ever receive fairness.

You’ve taken off your masque, and reveal that

	Sick and tainted lust for charming nations.

Your skin: as white as snow, melancholic.

	Your lips: as red as blood, hypnotizing.

How lovely of you to be born so grave.

	Let me embrace you with comforting love.


But recall that you’re my daughter, my blood.
Your mother is all that beauty should seek.

So as might… mirror mirror on the wall,
Who’s the fairest of them all… IT’S SNOW WHITE!?

I shall bring to you a sweet kiss of death.

Embrace my gift of love: a sweet apple.

Hide as you may in within the unknown woods,

For you cannot escape your vanity.



Snow White… you bloody witch of the forest.
I watched you entice those seven dwarfed men.
Your kindness is a virulent sickness;
The kingdom need not such a contagion.

Hush… Sleep, my child. All is calm, all is wight. 
Sounds of glitter dust envelop your ears,
For darkness brings tranquility to mind.
Sleep in heavenly peace; Farewell, fairness.

BIO:
Ze Yu Jiang enjoys listening to music and watching video essays in his spare time.

What artists and/or writers inspired or influenced your work?

The Brothers Grimm. Being the author of the characters presented in this poem, they’ve laid a massive foundation on its topic.

How do you resonate with your piece? Why is it personal to you?

It took a lot of inspiration from my previous work. I wanted to express the particular emotion (the anguish and jealousy) felt from the Queen in the original story of Snow White. This piece is a means for me to translate that emotion onto paper.

What is your ideal writing environment?
A quiet place with a desk and writing utensils.

EXPRESSIONS

Ode to the Crimson Princess