[I found this poem I wrote, and published in 2000 “Dan River Anthology”. I’ve been trying to find all my old publishing credits and reflect on progress and style. I was about 21 years old when I wrote this]

She sleeps
with her eyes open
wide as a child’s
on Christmas
hoping her fairy godmother
will sprinkle fairy dust
into her Titania eyes.

Tomorrow, she’ll see
the Elephant man
underneath
the duct-taped ass head
and know she is Jane Eyre,
searching for herself
and her ugly beast.

Lie thou there,
Ladies, you Lesbian Lysistratas,
and teach poor Titania
to be a feminist
in this man’s world.

[Stephen Earley Jordan II is the author of several books of poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. He has also directed and written a few award-winning short, experimental films. Check out his latest book published January 2022, Gods Mourn Too: Essays on Writing and Questions for Thought.]