Scheherazade

 

A mother tells  her daughter,

before you're slayed,

weave your story

on a loom of phrase.

 

No more than a hundred

and forty characters.

Let some words weep,

others scream and the last

beg or pray.

 

Our ancestress

naked with black hair

slithering

along her spine and neck

 

had a full night 

to spin her song, to keep

the sultan from his sword.

 

You may have

only hours, minutes --

the dungeon window

framing  your face.

 

Its hash tag

followed by a crescent moon

and stars.
_______________________________
The beautiful artwork is from illustrations of The Arabian Nights by artist, Kay Neilsen.