The witch with a bee

Trigger Warning: This poem explores themes of emotional manipulation and gaslighting.

She’s a witch, but with a bee,

On her black veil,

Casting spells to sting me

“Disgrace” becomes the chant,

Wrapping around those who listen.

Smiling with her chipped front teeth,

While grinding her molars.

The victim in every scandal,

No human is innocent,

But she is,

Quite an abomination.

The lady with red lips,

Poisoning every apple she plucks,

Not for Snow White, but for the dwarves,

Turning them against the maiden.

"Shouldn’t have broken up with that lawyer;

You could’ve used someone stable and sensible.”

As if you didn’t paint me

As the madwoman –

Setting fires and wrecking gardens at night,

Someone who should be shackled 

In a basement, without light

“Is he your friend?

He doesn’t want the family business, right?

Surround yourself with responsible people.”

While you fear his insight

And how he sees through your facade.

“Is she your best friend?

So sad her dad left for someone younger.

But don’t get too close;

Shame clings to the shameless.”

Shameless?

You, who trap innocents in honeyed lies

And make them parrot those lines

While they stone me to death.

“Anxious? Just focus on happiness;

It’s all in your head.

Why don’t you smile more?”

As if a smile is a filter I could wear,

To maintain the illusions you’ve laid,

So others won’t glance too closely, too near,

To spot the fractures in this veneer.

Compliments wrapped in barbs,

Kindness that stings,

Honesty, a mere mask,

Disguised cruelty within.

Can’t you see I’m screaming

While she’s scheming?

Always near my head buzzing

As I flail my hands

To swat the invisible bees around.

The people laugh,

“Oh, she’s mad, alright!”

I wish I could stone a beehive,

Feel their venom, feel their bite,

To finally show the world visible scars

But she takes the sympathy,

Wields the pity—

This is her stage,

And she decides our roles.

The benevolent queen

With red lips and a black veil decides,

I’m the ungrateful stray,

The rabid dog whom she tries to coddle,

But bites back.

PS : This narrative is purely fictional. Also, no disrespect to the Evil queen from Snow White or anyone who wears a black veil.