the great fairy rose
friendship & the legend of zelda
I’ve been playing a lot of Tears of the Kingdom! The Legend of Zelda is the epitome of magic and nostalgia. I grew up watching my older brothers play; it was one of the first video games I ever played; it’s the only one I still do. I absolutely loved Breath of the Wild (open world, hello), and I love how TOTK expanded on it.
And it’s pretty. It’s so, so pretty. The light streams and sun flares, whimsical flora and fauna, glittery collectables, diverse terrain and weather—and the fairies. You unlock the Great Fairies via quests, and they emerge from their idyllic, sparkly ponds to strengthen your armor. Very dreamy.
One day while playing TOTK and texting a dear friend, I put the game down to write this silly poem. Rose is a dead ringer for the Great Fairy—colorful and loud and unabashedly sensual. This poem is for her. Love you, Rosie.
the great fairy rose
being your friend is like
stumbling upon the great fairy
when you were looking for enemies
staircase of rainbow pebbles
top of the hill, held by land
puff of purple glitter rising, innocuous
up to the clouds, the islands in the sky
and hidden from the kingdom
scared back into her own bloom
sealed tight as an early bud
and all she asks for is
the sound of a string, coaxing
the hum of a horn, rejoicing
the beat of a drum, counting score:
she erupts in pearlescent dragon scales
stringing her body like extra ammo
weaponized kindness, compassion like a knife
and with a nuclear body—bold as borealis,
encrusted with star fragments and dazzlefruit
to blind, luminously stoned and bioluminescent
to fight. she is soft and supple,
made of time and light
her hair is neon and bright, her nails
sharp and painted with righteousness,
her eyes are moons, endless pools of love
her hands offer protection across a spectrum
then she dives back into her pool of sunset flies
warm little glows and extraneous life
hover in the air long after she’s gone.
I painted a little fairy to go with my poem (and it was humbling because I haven’t painted in so long.) Then I bound a tiny book to match (which was more in my comfort zone). The cover looks like little fairy wings. You can get a better look at both via the link below. 💖
a teacup book for The Great Fairy
until next time xoxoxo
— teacup