One day walking home from work
My feet spoke to me. They said:
They are tight, and our toes can’t move around freely."
something more worn,
more broken in."
that are well-worn and broken in."
"If you don’t, we won’t like it.
a good buffing with cream polish.
Monday morning my feet were smiling!
My feet spoke to me. They said:
“Ray, we don’t want you sticking us in your fancy
brown custom-made dress shoes from Portugal.They are tight, and our toes can’t move around freely."
"OK," I said, "let’s try
an older pair tomorrow,something more worn,
more broken in."
My feet said,
“OK, but if we don’t like it, you won’t like it
either.”
I said, "OK, tomorrow we
will wear the ECCO’s,
the Baghdad ECCO’s that are well-worn and broken in."
The next day my feet apoke to me again. They said,
“Ray, we don’t like the ECCO’s either.
We discussed it among ourselves and
decided
we want the brown leather
Saucony’s, you know, the running shoes."
I said, "but I can’t wear running shoes to work
with a Suit."
They said,
And you won’t
like it either."
So Sunday night I cleaned up
the Sauconys and gave thema good buffing with cream polish.
Monday morning my feet were smiling!
November 2012
One day walking home from work
My feet spoke to me. They said:
“Ray, we don’t want
You sticking us in your fancy
brown dress shoes from
Portugal.
They are tight, and
our toes can’t move
around freely.
"OK," I said, "let’s try
an
older pair tomorrow,
something
more worn,
more broken
in."
more broken
in."
My
feet said,
“OK, but if we don’t like it,
You won’t like it either.”
I said, "OK, tomorrow we
will
wear the ECCO’s,
the
Baghdad ECCO’s that
are well-worn and
broken in."
are well-worn and
broken in."
The
next day my feet
Spoke
to me again. They said,
“Ray, we don’t like the ECCO’s
either.
We discussed it among ourselves
and decided we want the brown leather
Saucony’s, you know, the running shoes.
I
said, "but I can’t wear running shoes
To
work with a Suit."
They
said,
If you don’t, we won’t like it.
And you won’t like it either.
So
Sunday night I cleaned up
the
Saucony’s and gave them
a
good buffing with cream polish.
Monday
morning my feet were smiling!
Thanks, Ray. I love this one! If I could only listen to my body that sensitively.
ReplyDeletegreat! my feet speak to me too-
ReplyDeleteListen to your feet!
ReplyDeleteMonday and I'm also smiling, your poem makes me smile. Lindo poema, Raymond! I think I can hear the steps and their echos. I loved the dialogue, reading it makes me think how nice it is when we are in accordance with our steps, and we «just go». I also found very suggestive the Baghdad echo of brokenness. Please, escreve sempre, it's a pleasure to read you :)
ReplyDeleteHelga
Helga: you zoomed right in on the ECCO/echo word play. The Baghdad "echo" is broken in, "worn," yet the "feet" still don't like it. The neo-con model is broken, yet we keep trying to make it work, in Afghanistan, in Libya, and soon, in Syria.
ReplyDeleteThe "feet" prefer the Saucony's, a natural and ancient truth. "Saucony traces its early roots to the banks of the Saucony Creek in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. Native American inhabitants created the Saucony name, which translated means "mouth of a creek or river". In 1906, Saucony built its first factory, a brick two-story construction along the Saucony Creek."
Portugal, of course, is best known for its WWII neutrality abroad,
while practicing a form of fascism at home and a rapacious colonialism in its colonies. As you know, I love Portugal, nonetheless, and can't wait to get home and listen to some Fado!
Yes, and thank you Raymond. That's why I found beauty in your poem, I loved how you said it, with "tenderness" you presented the powerful and brokenness of these themes.
ReplyDeletePara ouvires entretanto:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkQhaXi0ACw
Um abraço,
Helga
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis poem works on so many levels -- thank you!
ReplyDeleteHello Ray!
ReplyDeleteGreat poem! It made me smile and think about that. Sometimes we do not listen to the sound of our body...