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sometime in May
almost to June
long after daffodils
have faded and shriveled
my mama would say
come take off those shoes, Child
and I'd smile so big
my hot little feet
free of their winterÂ
binding of leather and cotton
couldn't wait to sink
languidly down into cool
blades of green grass
of weeds so soft
so refreshing
I tickled with dances
sped over yards
in little girl races
pranced so quickly to orchards
fine snowless meadows
by nightfall I'd marched
a hundred happy miles
calluses beginning
on my summer soles
and dirty— my yes
you could grow corn
between your toes
Mama would say
as she scrubbed
using a sponge
born without any feet
at all in my dreams
I need no shoes
all journeys are shoeless
my world carpeted
in purest summer memory
From Zen Fishing and Other Southern Pleasures (Ocean Publishing, 2005)
Used with the author's permission.
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Dorothy K. Fletcher retired in 2007 after 35 years of teaching high school English in Jacksonville, Florida. Her poetry and articles have appeared in nearly a hundred publications, and she has written and had published seven books. A former columnist for The Florida Times Union, Dorothy has written six Jacksonville histories, the first sof which earned her a Preservation Award from the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission in 2011. At this point in her writing career, she has moved into fiction. Her latest novel, The Chambermaid, is set in the 1564 colony of Fort Caroline, which was located in the Jacksonville area. Dorothy still livees in Jacksonville with her husband, Hardy, close to their children and grandchildren. Learn more about her here.
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KathyD:
My mother used to tell is that after we had seen 3 dandelions we could go barefoot! Of course, there were some chilly days after spying 3 of those yellow feathery blooms, but it was a pretty good gage. Loved your poem.
Posted 05/21/2011 01:16 PM
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vawomann:
This brought back great summer memories. Having "lived in town" my cousin & I would play the hot sidewalk game! We would see who could walk on the old cracked sidewalk barefoot the longest before pouring water on the sidewalk & standing on the wet little puddle. We still laugh about our silly game & how much fun it was. Thanks for the memories!
Posted 05/21/2011 11:01 AM
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