Once Upon a Recent Time by Tonia Kalouria

Scene: Sunny Achers Retirement Center

“I’d rather be Dance Queen at 80 than 18!”

cried the snow-white-haired Belle of the Ball.

And her blue gown, though ample,

(sized “curvy,” not SAMPLE,)

quite flattered the fair Queen of the Hall.

Those silvered-swains swooned

as Bella flounced ’round the room

— unlike how it was as a girl!

Then, her face featured pimples

that trumped those two dimples,

now flirtingly flashed with each twirl.

Bella hopped with “The Jock,”

sipped white wine with “The Doc,”

and heard stories of travels and kin.

On their metalized hips,

they did wobbly back-dips

as they strained to shout over the din.

Those mean sisters she’d fight

should have seen Bella that night!

Why, her Dance Card had no blanks at all.

And — before Midnight struck —

The Jade Brooch brought more luck:

Charming Doc leaned and whispered, “I’ll call.”

Though The Piper did come for his Due Princely Sum,

(all those tippy-toed two-steps in heels,)

t’was glad interest she’d pay for that Fairy Tale Day —

and the yearnings that made her head reel!

Too excited to sleep, a warm bath for her feet,

she thought back to that Story Book Place.

Bella relived all the fun, and the jokes, every one….

But mostly, the sweet Doc's craggy face.

Epilogue:

It was just as Bella’s ears had stopped ringing,

that The Doc called and sent her heart singing!

For he, too, felt the Jade’s Spell of Laughter…

A Magic they would share … Ever after.

Ms. Kalouria, retired teacher and actress, now writes in Northeast OH. Her poems

appear at the following, among others: "littleoldladycomedy," "Take 5ive," "Classical PoetsSociety," and "The Literary Vegan." She has poems in 10 Anthologies, including

"Thriving," "A Glass of Wine With Edgar," and "Quoth the Raven."