It is winter now,
and the roses are blooming again,
their petals bright against the snow.
My father died last April;
my sisters no longer write,
except at the turning of the year,
content with their fine houses
and their grandchildren.
Beast and I
putter in the gardens
and walk slowly on the forest paths.
He is graying around the muzzle
and I have silver combs
to match my hair.
I have no regrets.
None.
Though sometimes I do wonder
what sounds children
might have made
running across the marble halls,
swinging from the birches
over the roses
in the snow.
About the Author: Jane Yolen is the award-wining author of over 150 books for children, adolescents, and adults. She has published fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and edited collections of folktales. This poem was inspired by Beauty and the Beast.
Copyright © 1989 by Jane Yolen. The poem first appeared in The Faery Flag, published by Orchard Books. It may not be reproduced in any form without the author’s express written permission..