FROM BOOTIES TO BLUNDSTONES

[Maureen K Clifford]

FROM BOOTIES TO BLUNDSTONES.






The babies shoe was tiny, blue checked gingham with white laces
and a sole of supple leather, white and clean, still pristine neat
which should not be unexpected when you think about it really,
for common sense tells this babe tiny would not yet have found its feet.

But it made me somewhat saddened to see this small shoe discarded
from a foot so small and tender. It just lay there in the street.
So I picked it up and placed on the brick wall of a garden
where it was highly visible – although tiny and discreet.

I doubt the Mum had noticed that the shoe was even missing
until she got home from shopping – Mums are so busy these days.
And I imagined her small baby, dressed in his best bib and tucker
with his small blue gingham shoes on, in his pram – out on display.

And no doubt Mum was stopped often as old Ladies oohed and aahed
and said how beautiful he was and asked ‘is he your only child’.;
or ‘does he take after his Father’, and ‘ how old is he Darling’
all the pleasantries that people pass when at them a child smiled.

Oh yes it’s just a baby shoe – blue checked gingham with white laces.
But it’s more than that, it symbolizes love and hope and dreams.
It is something that a Mother would hold to her heart remembering
that twenty years had passed so quickly – though like yesterday it seems.

Maureen Clifford © 04/11

[Zondrae]

G'day Maureen,

I am glad we separate the email poems from the 'in-house' ones. Otherwise I might not even bother to finish mine.
This is such a charming idea and told so well. I can see it clearly. It also brought beck sweet memories of dressing up my living dolls and parading the town, showing off my babies. The second one in particular, was a bonny wee lassie and people would stop me and admire her. I recall sometimes changing her out fit several times a day. I had been given cast offs by three friends so had an over supply of good quality clothing for her. She is now 36 and still a beauty.