Laura Forman
Sunday Shoes
When my mum does it,
It is pair by pair,
On a need to wear basis.
A quick blast of Sparkle
And a rub with a cloth
Like the old days of licking a hanky.
But when my dad does it,
He summons them all from unseen places.
Calls them from the bottom of the stairs
To see if they’ll stand on their own two feet.
They’re lined up in colours.
It looks as if our feet have
Shed their skin
Again and again.
He’s the mayor of the garage,
Inspecting rows of the clean and shiny,
Stopping to buff the scuffs
Of Monday to Saturday.
I can see his face in them.
It is pair by pair,
On a need to wear basis.
A quick blast of Sparkle
And a rub with a cloth
Like the old days of licking a hanky.
But when my dad does it,
He summons them all from unseen places.
Calls them from the bottom of the stairs
To see if they’ll stand on their own two feet.
They’re lined up in colours.
It looks as if our feet have
Shed their skin
Again and again.
He’s the mayor of the garage,
Inspecting rows of the clean and shiny,
Stopping to buff the scuffs
Of Monday to Saturday.
I can see his face in them.
Page(s) 8
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