The Shoe (a poem)
A conceit for a marriage
The Shoe
Marriage is a fitting shoe
At first a promise of shiny hue
She dons it eager to strut and show
we each were one, became one from two
Well intentioned cobblers’ tools may yield
solace of a well worn one
But what when its construct fails the road
misfit edges a callus grow
Ceaseless grate chafes her skin,
now thickened then beyond the pain
Wayward nails thirsting for blood
leave stains of rust that won't erase.
Yet she’ll keep the shoe as if it's new
Blame the road, its thorns and shards
She won’t repair, discard or trade,
Who could imagine a finer shoe?
To ease the walk, she’s changed her gait,
shaved off steely skin so it won’t chafe
Yet often she’ll pause at every stop
to go barefoot, profess she’s unchained.
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reena | 2023
I wrote this poem last year with a poetic conceit—an unconventional metaphor—of a shoe for a troublesome marriage. Here an ill-fitting shoe represents a bad marriage, in which the woman’s foot, gait and indeed her entire life are affected yet she keeps walking to keep up the show. I hope you liked this metaphorical turn this device employs. Let me know!
Published!
Two of my poems have been accepted for publication in the California Writers Club 2024 Poetry Anthology “One Day”. It will be published later this year.
The selected poems are:
And
Do check them out if you missed them the first time!
Thanks for this. I enjoyed the poem and indeed the Shoe is an apt metaphor for the man as well. The man has to adapt to marriage but knowing another and making her your Home in life is a spiritual exercise. It's not for everyone and not if you want to be entirely free but being entirely free might imply being Homeless and rootless. Only my opinion of course. Thanks again. Dave.
Yes, marriage is good only if two people are right for each other. People sometimes rush to marriage when in reality they are not made for each other. This poem makes me think of those things. Good read!