Walking Shoes [Poem]

Got my walking shoes on

And I’m headed to the school,

MUA back

in the day

Miami-Dade,

that journey, cruel.

Oftentimes,

I caught a ride

from the guys, or school bus

and others, after games,

I caught the train

right with my cuz'n

Sometimes, it got delayed

and that was pain,

for sure, it SUCKED

but we did not complain,

charged to the game,

the two of us

In the end, those same walking shoes

would walk across the stage

Honors Graduate with a

3.2 GPA

After, mom had left

‘cause she thought I was with my friends,

But miscommunication

had me walking yet again

_____________________________________

Got my walking shoes on,

but now?

I’m headed to the mall

Sawgrass, where I worked,

that check

was jumping like LeBron

Suddenly, would move

from Lauderdale to Pompano

(in case you didn’t know,

that made the journey

extra long)

I’d leave home three hours earlier

to get to work on time

laced those boots of mine

endured the weather,

rain or shine

Later on that year

around December of ‘16

a Friday morning,

there was I

in a line

At a Wendy’s

Ordered a Frosty

wondering if God had forgot me,

I questioned Him softly

Until this cashier

would spot me

She gave me my receipt

& said

“You’ll get you a car soon”

En route, I said

I said “I know”

She said

“No...GOD

told me to tell you”

_____________________________________

Got my walking shoes on

This time, I’m walking to the college

Moving to Fort Pierce

was fierce,

It felt like it was bondage

But how I got into college,

God had moved in ways, symbolic

my steps ahead, He’d polish

so my respect for Him,

acknowledged.

from January 2018

to Summer 2020

There I was, walking again

& in my head

I told God bluntly

“I’m feeling so unlucky

and I feel You think it’s funny,

sold me dreams, no money,

& I believed you like a dummy 🤡

I’m jet black ‘cause it’s sunny,

When it rains, my kicks get muddy

have You considered [that]

I’m too familiar

to cars that drive in front [of] me?”

I packed deodorant in my bag

If not,

I'd reached school musky,

I’d carry on,

then heard “Hold on,

I hear you, son, just trust Me”

_____________________________________

Fast forward to now,

It’s the Friday after Thanksgiving

I asked God for a job

that ain’t too hectic,

So I’m chilling

Work at a hospital

I didn’t know

'd be so fulfilling

Patients, I be dealing with

while Patience, God was dealing

I write this in my working shoes

not walking, ‘cause I’m sitting

& seems like God’s transitioning

to better days and healing

19 days till I graduate,

& I’m staring at the ceiling

Wondering if God prescribed

miles of walking

So I’d start kneeling

Can’t see it, but I feel it though,

a breakthrough/a better me

so I’ll lace my size 10 kicks

& swiftly run

towards my destiny.