If I Wore Shoes

And I do, mostly topsiders,

like the margaritavilles I have now,

but if I wore rubber gummy boots

or lo top sneakers or engineers boots?

I used to wear cowboy boots,

but never liked the narrow toes.

When I was young,

I ran through the woods all winter

barefoot in the frost,

today I cant run at all,

and surely wouldn’t do it

in the cold with no shoes.

But  if I wore soft sole hush puppies

and wore my khakis cut a little too long

so the creased over my instep

without  touching the ground,

and of course my button down

long sleeve blue shirt

and my slightly dirty  khaki hat,

would you know it was me,

humpty backed and slow moving?

Or if I was again barefoot in the woods,

long yellowing toe nails,

as old men’s toes do,

with a trusty shot gun for rabbits

and squirrels to keep myself fed

would you know it was the same old poet,

would you see me there?