The sad thing about being a princess
Is that, nowadays,
The king has promised half his kingdom
To the income tax, instead of
To any poor young peasant
Who can make you laugh.
(Most only make you cry.)
Princes are all out
Doing good works or marrying beneath them
Or getting killed before they can come back to you.
The ivory tower is subject to rising reality
And dragons are protected by law.
The crowd outside the door
Looks hungrily at you
Instead of cheering
When you get into your coach.
All surprise parcels have to be opened
In case they explode your mind.
And you have to stop dancing at twelve
Because the band won’t do overtime.
Marble halls can be very lonely places
And wishing only makes the echoes louder.