Listening: Les Sans Coulottes Reading: Frances Mayes' Discovery of Poetry

I always wondered where those shoes came from, you know, the ones you see in the gutter or shoulder of the road? They were the inspiration for this poem.

MATELESS

Route 3
Left turn lane
Blue and gray striped felt Birkenstock
Jimmy was getting high in the backseat and his foot went through the window


Henry St. & Rt. 3
Gutter
White-girl shoe
Ashley jumped for the bus and missed her heel caught the glass

Brown St. & Milton
Sidewalk
Hightop basketball shoe
Some big kid followed Jordan and teased him about his aunt he turned around and punched him and ran

Milton
Center line
Black clog
The cancer had spread and she didn’t want to be a burden so Arlene took it all to Goodwill

College and Washington
Intersection
Clear jelly sandal
Stacy looked both ways but never heard the truck behind her

Washington
Gutter
Brown work boot
Paul swerved to miss the something….cables and tools shifted in the truck bed





State & 3rd
Curb
Goddamn bridesmaid dress looks like a pile of puke! And these shoes suck, too!

3rd St
Left lane
Gray track shoe
Wedding coming up…gotta lose 20 lbs…maybe jogging….will help….