Poem: "ongaeshibanashi"
This poem belongs to the "Origami Mage" series, and you can read the other poems in that series by visiting the "Serial Poetry" page on my website. It was inspired by a prompt from thesilentpoet, who wanted to read about Japanese folklore. It was sponsored by marina_bonomi.
ongaeshibanashi
origami mage
has grown up hearing these tales
of kindness repaid
kirigami mage
has grown up on sad stories
and witty stories
other girls at school
tell ghost stories, greed stories,
tales of long ago
origami mage
listens to all the stories
then picks which to keep
kirigami mage
wonders why no one weeps or
laughs at her stories
other girls at school
look at them funny but watch
their clever fingers
origami mage
tries to teach her rival to
tell a new story
kirigami mage
fumbles unfamiliar plot
and gives up too soon
other girls at school
whisper behind their hands
a story unfolds