Strange Evolution of a Queen

Evolution of a Queen

Should I address you as my queen or quean?
They share the same sound and root meaning.
From Old English “cwēn,” simply – woman,
So how did a quean deviate over time?

The throne took queen to heights of power,
A crown of dignity she wore with grace.
While quean slid into debased shadows,
Plying her trade in the dank alleyways.

Kings from the ages shaped these norms,
Nothing but pimps and philanderers keen.
Kings had a queen, but had many queans,
The populace aptly dubbed them werevolves.

A queen in royal courts with gleaming jewels.
A quean in the slums, dark rumours abound.
One in opulence, the other dipped in grime,
A stark divergence, yet their root is ‘cwēn’.

So if I say ‘my Queen,’ it’s like blood in veins,
But if I say ‘my Quean,’ it’s a term of disdain.
Power in the voice so I shall call you wifman.
Wif was also ‘woman’ but now she’s defined.

Two paths diverged from a single ancient seam,
One crowned in riches, the other redeemed.

Another Poem by Skendong: Flee: A Poetic Tale of Love, Choices, and Regret