Stephen Tefft Poet Rhyme

Walk a Mile

Old man looking over at me across an empty park bench,
He was slightly smelly, unkempt and I was uncomfortable.
And he sneered at my paisley tie and at my penny loafers,
And I saw his own toes were wiggling in the open air.
Then the old man laughed out loud, sprayed the air with saliva,
He said, ‘I’m sorry to deprive ya of any form of dignity.
‘But once I was just like you, a slave to the corporate.’
I said, “Don’t be a hypocrite. Give me the benefit of the doubt.”

I said, “You really should not judge, walk a mile in my shoes.”
So, he stole my shoes and I haven’t seen him since.

Now I don’t know what the record is but it’s less than four minutes
And the odds are diminishing that he’s going to return.
And my feet are getting kind of cold and I’m looking pretty silly
Almost kind of like Achilles, with my skinny ankles sticking out.
At least he left my wallet though he took the cash I carried,
But that’s almost customary any time you’re being robbed.
And he seemed very nice once he got past his emotion
And his preconceived notions of who I had to be.

I said, “You really should not judge, walk a mile in my shoes.”
But he stole my shoes and I haven’t seen him since.

Isn’t it strange that we can’t change.
But then again, maybe we can.
But on the other hand… nevermind.
I don’t understand.

The cops weren’t very helpful, they were too busy laughing
At the people photographing the wiggling of my toes.
And I have learned my lesson though it’s painful to admit
That I cannot even outwit a drunk out on the street.

I say, “You really should not judge, walk a mile in my shoes.”
But he stole my shoes and I haven’t seen him since.

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