THE BAREBOOT
BEAUTY/
THE WIGGLE TOE
CHAMP
DIDN’T RECOGNIZE
THE TENDER
SIGNS
OF THE ARCHED
AND PAINFUL
CRAMP:
IT CAME UPON
ME IN THE RAIN
WEARING SHOES
OF UNKNOWN
VIRTURE
OLD AND SOFT
LIKE KINDERGARTEN
I WORE THEM
ONLY WHEN
I HAD TO,
NOT BY CHOICE
BUT TRYING
TO BE WISE,
AND NOW
I KNOW
(BY EXPERIENCE)
THEY WERE
NOT EVEN
MY TRUE SIZE,
I SPLASHED
ALONG AND
UP THE HILL
HOLDING MY
UMBRELLA,
THINKING HOW
I HATE THE RAIN
AND EVEN WORSE
THE SHOOTING
PAINS
THAT RACED
FROM FOOT
TO KNEE,
IT WAS THE KIND
OF SURPRISE
YOU REALLY
DON’T NEED,
AND SO BEGAN
THE VIBRANT
SEARCH
TO FIND
A SET OF
TENNIES,
SOME SWEET
NEW ONES
THE SNEAKER
KIND,
COOL AND SLEEK
WITH COLORED
LACES
LIKE THE WOMEN
WEAR IN
RUNNING RACES,
IT WAS TIME TO
SEE MY PERFECT
PAIR
AND MAYBE SOCKS
TO CLEAR THE
AIR,
AND SO I SEARCHED
AND LOOKED
AND SOUGHT
JUMPED RIGHT
IN AND SHORTLY
BOUGHT
SOME SLEEK
BLACK LEATHER
WITH COOL
WHITE SOLES
LACED THEM UP
FOR MY
SERIOUS STROLL,

I SHOWED HIM
THE UNDERBELLY
OF MY TOWN
PLACES SEEN
LESS ON TV
AND ADVERTISED
THINKING HE
WOULD BE
SURPRISED,
AND YET THE
PINCH OF
SADNESS
THAT ACCOMPANIES
A DARK PATCH
OF SAND
AND DEEP GULLIES
CARVED INTO MY
BELOVED
OCEAN
SURFACED BETWEEN
US
AS I SPLASHED
ACROSS THE
MURKY BREACH
COVERING MY
ANKLES,
HE CHOSE TO
ADMIRE THE
GRIMY TRACTOR
RUNNING WITHOUT
A DRIVER,
AND HANDED ME
A BROKEN SAND DOLLAR,
JUST A PART OF
THE PLACES I HAVE
COME UPON
AFTER THE
FLAME OF GLAMOUR
FADED
AND I WALKED ON
PATHS
BETWEEN THE
BUILDINGS,
INTO NARROW
ALLEYS
AND COURTYARDS
FROZEN IN TIME,
THIS PART OF
LIFE HAS BECOME
THE DEEP ADVENTURE
WHERE THE TOE
IS DIPPED FURTHER
INTO THE WATER,
UNCOVERING
LITTLE SECRET
STREETS
AND MUSKY
BUILDINGS
HOUSING THE
LIGHT OF BUSINESS
BEHIND
SCRATCHED
GLASS,