Children Five In Their Cold Kingdom

Children five in their Cold Kingdom were we,
five children swirling in snow, desolation and
waste, in an emotional cyclone: The eldest a
gypsy, singing and laughing irresponsibly, the
second changed into Peter Pan and lived in
Neverland; I became Alice - every time I ate or
drank I changed - went off to Wonderland; my
sister became the irate Duchess with her
peppery tongue; the youngest is Tom Thumb
with a dainty sword in his hand; children five were
we, braving the storm created by the Queen of
Hearts shouting “Off with his head” whenever dad
appeared, disguised as a beast, but a prince
inside; and grandma a sad Cinderella working
her hands to the bone - because in love she
stole for a loved one and was sentenced to
serve the Queen of Hearts; she faithfully cared
for the children five in that icy Kingdom - where
hearts turned to ice; today the gypsy still has an
ice shard lodged in his heart; Peter Pan never
returned from Neverland, Alice lives with the
Magician of Reason in Wonderland, the Duchess
is living with the Queen of Hearts; Tom Thumb is
fighting windmills, while the prince is living on
his own in a kingdom far from here – all alone…