The Floating Fairy

her hair ripples behind her

So she believes

the short crop imagined longer

for effect.

Carefully, toes touch

the hard ground, little by little

Lightly, so lightly,

You wouldn't guess she is there.

She walks slowly

cautious,

Making sure no one can see her.

But we do see her, oh, we do.

We are mesmerised by her

That ethereal something

always a crowd puller.

And so people mill around

She tells stories,

she laughs, sometimes raucous

sometimes tinkling.

You smile like the sun, we say.

Our world feels brighter and better.

And she feels there is some use, for her.

She needs to feel useful.

Self-validation.

words.

Like music in her ear.

We pull her in with words

Sweet as honey,

meaning a few of them

exaggerate the rest.

But one day she found us out

she caught us out on our hypocritical behinds.

She struggled

We held her

hard we could

but she stood

her ground

and floated out.

And we were left

to pick up the pieces

of our dependence.