People are always telling me
That it’s time I grow up.
That it’s time to put down the book,
And face reality.
Because everyone has to-
Sooner or later-
Face reality.
They tell me to focus on school,
To get a job,
To start thinking about the future.

But what if I’m not ready
To face reality yet?

What if I want to stay young forever,
Like Peter Pan?
What if I were to go on a mad adventure
In wonderland,
Or go to balls and wear glass slippers?

Fairytales are for children,
They tell me.
Fairytales are not real,
They say.

But what if I don’t believe them
When they say that?

What if I want to grow my hair out
Like Rapunzel?
What if I try to hold my breath
And live under the sea,
Or go visit far away places
Like the land of Oz?

Stop pretending, they shout,
Stop acting like a little kid,
Grow up.
Grow up.
Grow up.

But what if I don’t know
How to grow up?

What if my favorite thing to do
Is go on a magic carpet ride?
What if I happen to
Fall in love with a beast,
Or go lose my heart
To the huntsmen trying to take it?

People are always telling me
That I have a wild imagination.
And I used to be told that it was
Good to have an imagination like that.
But now I’m supposed to shut it off,
Just like that,
And go live in the real world.

But what if I don’t want to
Live in the real world just yet?

What if I want to pretend that I’m a princess,
That my prince charming is coming to find me,
And that he’ll be here soon?
What if I want to pretend that my story started with
Once upon a time,
And that it’s going to end with a
Happily ever after too?