Three Twisted Knots

Tales of the Fae Lands


The Longest Short Walk Home

Warning
The blank verse story below might make folks uncomfortable. It tells the story of a woman, different from others in her town, and a brief moment she endures on her walk home from a late night at her pub job. It shines a light on the shame we might feel when we are judged and generalisations are made about us. Even a woman in a beautiful dress can feel singled out and belittled.

Only the torch light paints her path to home
And even then the shadows glow in flickers

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See her walking home

From pub to door, the walk should be a breeze
But something makes her pause at every turn

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She stops at every turn

Her weathered fingers worry one another
She knows those rough hands tell the town her class

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Her class is on her hands

As if they didn’t know already. Sure,
The patrons say she’s comely, but she knows
“Exotic” is a word that denigrates.

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They say she is “Exotic”.

How easy it would be, she thinks, if only
Her heart could grow as weathered as her hands

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She curses all her softness

But when the farrier gives her a smile
Her softness triumphs with no counteraction

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But turns and smiles against it

Despite the past, despite recurring patterns
She turns and smiles: tonight, it could be different

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It might be said she flirts

The farrier’s a nice enough pub patron
Who never grabs her hair, but now he laughs
And pokes his drunken friend and says, she wants me

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But then she’s stone

Then, quick as growing shadows, she is stone
She spurs her pace and stares down at her feet
And scorns herself for letting down her guard
For one step on the longest short walk home.

Notes and Credits:
Dress, Boots: Silvan Moon Designs, Esmeralda (Get it tomorrow at We Love Role-Play!)
Hair: Analog Dog (natch!), Tercia (Get it from the new release board at the Analog Dog Main Store!)
Necklace: Rise Design, Linosa Necklace (Get it at The Liaison Collaborative!)
Hair Jewellery: Bauhaus Movement, Amanda Headband (Get it at the Bauhaus Movement Main Store!)
Body: Maitreya
Head: Lelutka Evolution Lake
Skin: DeeTaleZ, Cora in Eastern
Ears: Random Matter, Song Elfie Ears
Eyes: S0ng, Risa, Dark Brown
Eyeshadow: Stunner Originals, Eyeshadow Madid, Tone A6
Poses: The Owl, Graphic Tenderness, Strange State
Setting: Paleto, Amizmiz Backdrop



One response to “The Longest Short Walk Home”

  1. What a beautiful blog. So poignant and I think very relatable in so many way how women (or even men) can be made to feel objectified. Wonderful story Gwen! ♥♥

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About Me

Narrators Gwyneth, The Amazing Catwoman, Friðrós, Davi, and whoever else springs out of The Author’s head, live in the parallel universe of Second Life. You can read their stories here, or just scroll down to see what Gwyneth was wearing when she wrote it.

Gwen Enchanted is a story blogger, a fantasy fashion blogger, and a thoughtful in-world photographer.

Caution: contains poetry.

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