What Do You Do?

you know none of this matters

especially none of these stacks of shoe boxes 

and inside, impressive shoes 

that don’t fit anyone

elevated, identity card, I-matter-dammit shoes

you know those important shoes, I’m sure you’ve met them

so fascinating so legitimate

but oh such boring shoes 

that cram your toes

rob your balance

compromise the two indefensible spots behind your knees 

slow the blood down in your legs

make you walk stupid

break your back 

they take up a lot of space

and oh how they make you pay

but they don’t matter

what matters is:

the almost-involuntary way

you let your eyes decide 

to close

to imagine

to be enough

and:

your sword-stroke choice 

to let some light in their soft panes

so that you may be changed

now that will stir the vapors of the sky

make people feel differently

make them feel at all

that will shift us into new-wakened state

and from that point

there is no telling

how far we can go

there is no end to the crossings of our splashes

our ringing wavelets

when we each throw ourselves 

right into the water

eyes open

leaving our shoes on shore -

and the stones we might have sacrificed in our place

leave them there on the land

to hold our fear’s hand