A Walk In My Shoes

Shoe selection is self-expression.
Shoes are life-companions;
They support, encourage,
invigorate, complement
And protect.

In high school
I bought these
Brown, shoelaceless
Imitation chucks.
I loved them dearly
Wore them about to death
But they didn’t really support me
And it didn’t last well
Even though I held on for a couple years
And kept them stashed in my closet
Out of affection.

I used to buy
A lot of cheap shoes
And sometimes I still do
Just for fun
But never seriously
Because they tire my feet
And fall apart at the first sign
Of things going wrong.
I’ve learned to let them go.

My serious relationships
Are athletic shoes now.
My Nikes are faithful
And last five years
And although I run them down
We fit together.

My Tom’s are unique
And complement me
Sharing my love of words
And of real materials that make a difference
In other people’s lives.
I can’t say they’re overly helpful in
A real crisis
And I’ve slid around in the rain
But they’re not bad.

There are sassy black heels
That shine and lift me up
A few inches from reality.
They look good for any
Classy occasion,
Even though in daylight
They look slightly foolish
And pretentious-
They’re far too loud clacking in hallways
But like every girl has to have a little black dress
They’re my necessary girly shoes-
And I’d never go out without them.

There are summer fling flip-flops
Stalwart flats that go with everything
Heeled boots for winter formal
Neon green netted mix-it-up shoes
Tough steel-toed work shoes
Yet I still window shop
And still dream of epic romance
Because the best shoes can’t be
Behind me.


I looked at some wannabe chucks
The other day.
They were exactly
What I would have worn
In high school
And I played around with the idea
Of taking them home.
Many friends thought they were great
But in the end I couldn’t commit
To a pair of shoes
That just weren’t a good fit.