Barefoot

Written in 2003, "Barefoot" was accepted by the East Haddam Stage Company for their Plays With Poetry series in 2005. She no longer goes barefoot in the house Too often a tiny shard of china finds refuge in the soft underbelly of her foot, a bloody reminder of battles lost. Now sandals, pumps and cowboy boots make footsteps that echo in her ears and through the unpainted hallways, searching for a place to rest. While morning follows endless nights of darkened rooms where harsh words rain in whispers swallowed between clenched teeth, on pillows stained with salt again. She no longer goes barefoot in the house but at times when he is gone she dances on the verdant lawn stretching her ancient wings. On his return she quickly hides smoothing pin feathers with her soft cheek disguising the flush in her face avoiding his prying eyes. While morning follows endless nights of darkened rooms where harsh words rain the deluge floods between clenched teeth, on pillows divided by walls again. She no longer goes barefoot in his house though her feet have calloused and the soft underbelly is now hard where skin has grown over the scars. She wore her boots the day she left because they echoed the loudest through the unpainted hallways, and would not allow him to rest. Now every morning follows night the sunlight slides in easy and low She wakes in softness, stretching, rises leaving feathers on her pillow. June 2, 2003