KNIT AND PRAY

KNIT AND PRAY
A retelling of The Six Wild Swans (folktale retold by both Andersen and the Grimms)

Elisa knit as fast she could,
her magic prying yarn from nettle;
even as they stacked the wood
to burn her, she must prove her mettle,
or else her sister, brothers would
wild swans forever be.

Elisa knit; her fingers flew;
four shirts were done, one more to go.
Somehow her swan siblings knew
to find her; she stayed silent; though
she longed to speak, she must eschew
even a final plea.

Elisa knit the final sleeve,
as the swans chased townsfolk away.
No time to do aught but believe
and knit and hope and knit and pray.
Her siblings for Elisa'd grieve
once they at last were free.

Matías, Marcos, Lucas, Juan,
flew to Elisa, their shirts done,
and one by one she threw them on.
Four strong young men let not a one
come near their sisters, one a swan,
their tears salt as the sea.

Elisa knit, with no more spell
to ret and scutch, to hackle, card,
and spin to free Ana as well.
She'd no more nettle, no more yarn,
and the last sleeve, they all could tell,
unfinished it would be.

The brothers stood against the lit
wood torches would Elisa burn.
The yarn ran out, the last row knit,
and Ana got her shirt in turn.
They prayed the magic would permit
their sister to be free.

Elisa burst out noisy tears
when Ana stood, one wing, one arm.
As Marcos thanked God, Lucas cheered.
Juan said, "Well, it's got its charm."
Matías hit him. Ana feared
how much she'd miss the sea.