Burning Barefoot
my feet burned on cold sidewalks without shoes
no armor, no words prepared
just this heartbeat that kept running after you
just this tear I kept trying to wipe away
just this affection.
open armed, chest exposed, faltering
that deer that stumbles on its first steps
cute
you called me.
but I wished to be ugly
wished you could love the insides, the imperfect
wished that in your drunkenness you called me more than beautiful
you kept saying I was beautiful
but there was broken, too
And I wanted to be strong
and protective
and steelhearted
wanted to be your champion
make you go crazy with conversation the way that She did
But I know I’m not it
wet behind the ears and wobbly, new
uncertain of me
but so sure of my love for you
I wanted to run but I was still learning to walk so I stumbled
and you caught me
and I cried because you caught me but I knew you couldn’t keep me
and when you were next to me,
I missed you.
because when you hurt me I built a wall thick around this chest you loved to touch
constructed with every time you told me I wasn’t yet enough
I remember when you said you wished I had already grown up
so I am half closed to you
half angry
and all in love.
So tell me what to do
with bare feet running after someone I half hate
But am terrified
To lose.
Lissa Piercy is a Boston based performance poet who recently served as a member of the 2014 Lizard Lounge Poetry Slam Team. She is a member and co founder of Flatline Poetry, winner of the 2013 Poetry Award for Best Poetry Group, who will be reading at Stone Soup Poetry on October 27.
We want to know what you think!