the shoe that sat
on the edge of the road
caught my eye resting
on its side as if
marking a spot in time
it passed from my mind
once I drove on
but not really so
I slowed and stopped
further down the road
“did you see anything?”
I asked the man
standing near the curb
shaking his head
showing no emotion
perhaps she had wanted
to go barefoot
and simply threw
one shoe out
the window of her car
maybe she was walking by
carrying two shoes in hand
dropping one by accident
the grass a green carpet
dreamed of while crossing
miles of barren desert
driving by later looking
over at that same spot
seeing not a shoe
but rather, a large bird
pecking away the grass
baring brown soil beneath
couldn’t stop