(My) Childhood Shoes
I fancied myself free
I danced a waltz tonight
I danced a polka 123-123
I spun on rose petals and
pressed on bike pedals
I ran across the bridge
cement and metal
bang-bang to my secret place
where silver fishes lie waiting
and streetlights play games
that are highlights
I skid across the inclined
face of the moon
slippery like cheeses down to
Natti’s Gap
I plodded along walls that
wall in the strong cities
I shook the dust off myself
after being made fun of
I had holes
ran a mile
and then I ran another
I felt the cool clay of the
cavern-cave
and splashed through the
shallow icy water slip-sliding
over rocks to get stuck deep
in Lake Michigan’s mud
I kicked up my heels
kicked the cat
and then I jumped over the
house.
© Karen Powell
© Karen Powell
You capture the "footing" of childhood just perfectly, lg.
ReplyDeleteThank you Lynn! (It is a submission for a poetry contest with a theme "the voice of your shoes.") I had fun with it! Hope you are well. Had fun finding the photo of some children I taught/photographed (well-their feet :-)) from the past, too. Love observing the freedom with which children romp and play! It's so freeing and fun to watch; I remember the feeling and that makes me happy :-) lg
ReplyDeleteI want to add a note of (some) clarification to this poem. The line "kicked the cat" is figurative in its meaning only; in that it is meant to convey the (sometimes) mischievous nature that exists (in some) during childhood. There were no actual cats harmed in the making of this poem. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThis was a pure delight, lg! Loved every bit of it. Stellar words and images. I hope your Mother's Day was a beautiful one.
ReplyDelete