father's shoes

these are my father's shoes
holding my feet down to
earth
reflecting dark deep brown
the sky    the trees    my face.

these are my father's shoes
freetown's shoe shine boy
spit polish shine and sweat in summer sun
survival lesson learned in depression days
coating my feet in leather sole.

these are my father's shoes
built to last
walking to be heard
not made for tip toe
or fancy footwork
or footloose fancy nothing is free.
so
when you hear the footsteps
the gravity on my legs
the laughter stomped
when you see scuff and soil
on my sole
you should remember
these are my father's shoes
and i am only
filling in.

- Tyehimba Jess