As
she told me of her loyalty to someone she couldn't have,
It
made me deep inside feel very sad.
She
said to me it saddened her to know that was how it was,
But
settling for that was all she felt she had.
It
had been almost three years, and she spoke to me of bonds,
How
things came about without their conscious choice.
Of
his jealousy and his mistrust, she told me of this too,
Yet
still she spoke for him with a strong voice.
I
said he should feel lucky that he was blessed with what he had,
A
woman with total beauty of but few.
He
didn't feel all that lucky, she cried as tears moistened her face,
She
said, to him, she seemed to be like an old shoe.
And
she went on to tell me of a life so full of pain,
Of
how she had seemed to have become used to it.
Selfishness
was the topic that raised its head again,
"I
want it all," she said, and I felt sick.
She
wants it all, I thought, but she settles for so little,
A
thing of beauty and wonder, to the core.
Settled
for emotional security, it was easier this way,
Of
this girl, I sadly thought, the world deserved more.
Whether
shoes are in or out, they change with current style,
And
their price often defines what they are worth.
But
I had a pair of old brown shoes that for years walked many miles,
they
were worn and tired, and stretching in the girth.
And
whenever I would wear them, all those around would say,
I
should be rid of them, their days were through.
I
could not explain my love for them, they were like a treasured jewel,
I
valued them much more than something new.
My
mother even threatened me one day when not alert,
She
would take them, and throw them in the fire.
Her
distaste for these old brown shoes was inconceivable to me,
they
were my comfort, got me through the daily mire.
And
then one day the unbelievable came to occur,
one
of my loved pair just gave up the ghost.
I
mourned this sad occurrence for it had announced the end
Of
an entity that to me had meant the most.
I
suppose the thing for me to do would be to say that's all,
and
toss them out and of the pair be done.
But
I had emotional attachment to that old brown pair of shoes,
and
decided to retain the unhurt one.
I
kept it in the bottom of the wardrobe in my room,
and
on days of exhaust took it into view,
And
remembered with much pleasure, to my face it brought a smile,
all
the comfort times I'd had with that brown shoe.
Some
people buy new shoes quite frequently, to me it seems,
Imelda
Marcos every second day.
Following
fashion really doesn't do that much for me,
I
prefer my faithfuls, that's my way.
Treating
someone as an old shoe really isn't good,
As
usually old shoes are not worth much.
But
now I think of Holly as my favourite old brown shoe,
I
love and cherish, and get pleasure just from touch.
You
are so much more special than any old brown shoe,
more
beautiful, and infinitely precious.
I
need to tell you just how valueable you are to me,
There
is no risk of being repetitious.
Many
are given pain quite freely, and are never told
how
wonderful they are by those they love.
So
this is my personal effort to make sure that I'll not too...
I
shout it to the wind, the skies above.
I have written this
poem based on a true story for and about
somebody I care about
very much. In life we often just forget to
let those in our lives
know how much we appreciate them, and life
is really too short
to neglect those we love.
So hopefully this is
an encouragement to people to tell those they
love how much they
mean to them. I am not into saying "send this
out to all your friends..."
and stuff like that, but would like others to
share my poetry and
storytelling, and hopefully get something out
of it.
The main thing is that you are encouraged to express your
appreciation of people
in your life, to them. If that is as simple as
sending them the URL
of this page with a little message, then I express
my thanks in advance....
Get out there and get
loving...
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