that was something unheard of before

but then she was crowned queen

and she decided that a kingdom befitted a king

and so would a queendom a queen

which is what she called her speck of earth

and her people planted peonies on their windowsills

and welcomed wayfaring strangers, and paupers, and kings alike

and they sang their praises each morning with the rising sun

and no one would ever say that a queendom was worth less

than what they’d had before