Cinderella Syndrome 14

original image from ...

in the park mere minutes after noon
pigeons fly and pigeons peck
--gillena cox

... Ash Girl, Cinderella ...; boldly asks for permission to go. Her step–mother empties a dish of lentils into the hearth, saying, "First you must pick the lentils out of the ashes within two hours. If you succeed, perhaps you'll go to the ball. If you fail, I'll beat you black and blue." The girl calls down the birds from the sky to come to her aid and finish the work. They do so, and the task is fulfilled, but the step–mother will not relent; she tosses two bowls of lentils into the hearth, saying, "Pick them out again within one hour." The birds come again at the Ash Girl's bidding; she fulfils her task, but to no avail...[Cinderella: Ashes, Blood, and the Slipper of Glass by Terri Windling]

continuing the Cinderella Syndrome or What every girl should have; well!!! at least once in her lifetime, anyways...in haiku/haibun style throughout the month of August; e-mail me or add your contributions at comments; to beincluded in the day's post