A True Princess

Some believe just because princesses are pretty
They deserve special treatment and people’s respect.
But the life of a princess is often gritty,
Full of suffering, their lives very nearly wrecked.

Ignorant crowds will judge and jealous hags curse you;
I’m sure Aurora, Belle, and Snow White would agree.
Bitter biddies will gossip, shallow suitors woo,
Like those Cinderella and Ariel did flee.

A true princess not only possesses beauty
But prizes her virtues and always stays humble.
She is true to herself while doing her duty;
Courage, truth, and wisdom help her not to stumble.

Arrogance and selfishness ensure getting burned;
Vanity will not protect her from life’s harsh storms.
She relies on trusted friends whose respect she’s earned,
Believes magic comes in colorful, varied forms.

May you, like Cinderella, face cruelty with grace,
See into people’s hearts as do Belle and Jasmine,
Like Pocahontas judge not because of one’s race,
Use your power, like Mulan, to endure and win.

A royal life is not all romance and laughter;
Princesses work for “happily ever after.”



For my princess niece, Natalie Grace Bertsch,
on the occasion of her third birthday,
February 18, 2008