Beauty & the Beast, A Tale of Caprice
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 6:51PM 
At a house in Charleston near Tradd and East Bay
My story begins one October day…
A young girl named Maria was up in her room,
Planning a design for her Halloween costume.
This year she would create something chic & mature.
This year her costume would resemble couture.
Maria had developed an interest in fashion
A secret to no one – it had become her great passion,
In her room she had gathered an impressive collection
Of fashion magazines – an extensive selection.
Often Maria would sit with her mother
Critiquing deisgners, one after another
As a result Maria knew most designers by name.
She took note each month who had risen to fame.
Her favorites this year formed a list rather lean:
Vivienne Westwood
Philip Treacy
Stella McCartney &
Alexander McQueen
But one more designer caught her attention that day
When she discovered the creations of Laetitia Crahay
Without hesitation she was instantly inspired!
Maria knew what to do and what it required.
She grabbed her scissors that she knew would be needed
And down the staircase Maria proceeded.
Sneaking into the drawing room, she closed the doors.
The housekeeper did not notice, being busy with chores.
Alone in the room, Maria started to clip…
No one knew she was there, so away she did snip!
The front door opened, right about then
Home from shopping, Maria’s mother walked in.
The housekeeper called “Maria... Your mother’s returned.”
Which was followed by silence…this conjured concern!
When they both called, “Maria” no response was detected.
They rushed up the stairs as mischief was suspected!
They looked behind curtains
Under beds
Behind chairs
And in all the closets
Before returning downstairs
That’s when they noticed the closed drawing room door
And inside they discovered Maria sitting on the floor.
In one hand were scissors, in the other a patch
And on her headband, the patch had a match.
Maria was sitting next to the new leopard chaise
That had just been delivered… in place a few days!
That’s when they noticed on the chaise in plain view
Maria had snipped, not one hole… but two!
The housekeeper cried ,“ma’am she’s butchered your beast!
She’s cut up your new chaise, piece by piece!”
Maria’s mother calmly asked , “Darling, what did you do?”
Maria’s answer, “couture! but I’m not quite through.”
“Well darling, if those Ears are going to stay on your head…
We’ll just have to find a needle and thread.”
The housekeeper then asked with tears in her eyes,
“Ma’am what color thread would you advise?”
Thus ends my tale of Caprice…
One that includes Beauty…
And also a beast!
Maria grew up to be an accomplished designer
And her first Paris show could not have been finer!
It was twenty years later and seated on the front row
Was her mother at Maria’s first major show.
At the finale, on the runway, Maria appeared…
Amidst great applauds as the fashionistas cheered,
She smiled down at her mother, holding back tears…
Her mother was actually wearing those ears!
written by Eric Brown, edited by Sandra Rupp