Street corner messiah in green sneakers.

Where are you right now

I just saw the most interesting person

she had green shoes with the toes cut out

and her toes had rings on them with all the faces

of the New Kids On The Block.

One on each toe.

You should have seen it.

 

You would have loved the way

she looked at me as I tried to figure out which toe

held which boy's face

I was amusing to her, and she told me

that if I tried really hard, I could be Mrs Wahlberg

I know she was just being nice

but she said it anyway, and I thanked her.

 

You always teased me for being so into him.

 

Many years ago I lost you,

and I probably am stepping over some sort of line

in appropriate behaviour by telling you about

the woman with the green shoes

but you are all I am able to think about

since I walked away from my unknowing angel

with the feet of dreams.

 

That is what I call her.

I wonder where you are right now

as I drive myself blindly crazy

worrying how silly I sound in my own head

having imaginary conversations with you

10 years after I told you I wanted better out of life

than what you could give me.

 

I still believe that most days.

 

I hope you are as happy

as any man can be with the life you chose to lead

I hope you still rage against the man

and keep a grip on your wild side.

I also hope I was wrong when I said your spark would fade

when I walk out the door because I was young and hurt and cruel

 

I bet you are happy, married and fat

with kids on soccer teams and pta meetings

your hair is grey, your eyes are bad and I

haven't crossed your mind in over a decade

and I am fine with that, but today

your face is all I can see.

 

 

Reviews

[_mal]

The conversational tone was lovely, the idea in the first few lines was very cool. This poem is something many people could relate to one way or another. You even captured that kind of sad slightly bitter regret feeling without darkening this by saying it

[EMF]

Speechless. But not for long. Only the twenty minutes to reread a couple of times. For such a simple theme it has been handled so beautifully. So reflective and ... well, classy. A wonderful read. And the ending made me laugh outloud. But...Mark Whalberg? I'd give it 100 plus, but the box won't let me.

[Christina May Shanaberg]

Sometimes, something happens that we could have only shared with someone lost in "long ago." It's sad when that happens, but somehow you believe they almost know. Great write!

[bob, small b. aka invs]

this is a very cool piece of writing. reading it is like eavesdropping on your thoughts. i think we probably all have people from our pasts that we stop and wonder about. it would be nice to think a few others sometimes pause and think of us the same way.

[_mal]

This is truly great. Every part of it