This poem is dedicated to the woman
who admired my
mustard yellow ballet flats
that were not pink
and not even red.
With regard to these
mustard yellow ballet flats
she said
I love your shoes.
I shrugged embarrassed
for they were not pink
and not even red
and said
They’re ok except for the color.
Her eyes transfixed upon my
mustard yellow ballet flats
she said
passionately
I love the color.
And I embarrassed
that I had been embarrassed
that my
mustard yellow ballet flats
were not pink
and not even red
said
hastily
The color’s ok.
And I went home to ponder
that someone could love
mustard yellow ballet flats
for being
mustard yellow
not pink
and not even red.
(Words by Sarah Hinlicky Wilson. This poem was first published in the 2013 issue of the Ping Pong literary journal. The original ballet flats being long gone, I ripped the photo off ebay. This is the woman who admired my shoes.)