listening feet

 

back then

            a child

looking down into

an upturned mirror

feet simply trusting

            and willing

to avoid crushing exposed light bulbs

to step confidently over

            invisible thresholds

each new room

            an unexplored landscape

 

I listen through the soles of my feet

 

never mind that the ceiling in the shed

            proclaims itself to be

            rough

            and full of splinters

my feet hear the voice of

            the yielding soil

            that murmurs to me

            to come deeper in

 

clouds and treetops and

            the never-ending expanse of

            a summer-blue sky

imply that I might fall and

            never stop falling

that I might be lost forever

 

but listen

 

the certainty of asphalt

speaks for the sky

“no falling today;

just keep moving”

 

the concrete sky

shouts to me to

dance

            and—

crazy as it seems—

I find myself

            leaping among the clouds

            giggling at the

surprise of solidity

            each time I land

 

today

            older

            hardly wiser

I wonder if I could

hold my world together

with my

            listening feet

 

if I could ignore the billboards

            that shout to me

            “this part will be very difficult!”

and give attention to

   the soft and confident grass below

            that whispers

 

“nah, not really”

Reviews

[Bubo]

This is a superb and very strong piece, full of imagary.......I wrote a piece called "I wear size 5", because feet carry us through so much in life, and rarely do we think of them........this is interesting and captivating.

to avoid crushing exposed light bulbs
to step confidently over
invisible thresholds
each new room
an unexplored landscape

I listen through the soles of my feet


You are a talented writer, and reach inside of you for some very creative thoughts.

[Mike P.]

i do like the aesthetics of the work. it almost seems like painted undulating words. the piece itself reads the same. it has a soothing quality. very pleasant to read.
6

[Blackbirdsong]

Magical realism at its best here. I love the dreamlike quality of this. I felt as if I were floating along as I read this poem and the wordplay is just so excellent that I am in awe.

This first stanza just capitivated me with its beauty and eloquence -

"before,
a childlooking down intoan upturned mirrorfeet simply trusting
and willing to avoid crushing exposed light bulbsto step confidently over
invisible thresholdseach new room
an unexplored landscape I listen through the soles of my feet"

Actually the whole poem did. Magnificent from beginning to end.