No Shoes

we’re heading 

out now, 

I take off my shoes 

for the drive home, 

I also took off my socks and had 

bare legs from the knees down 

the only clothing 

article I wore was a 

large men’s 

button up,

but beware, the next part to

this was sudden and abrupt

we stopped at the 

gas station to get 

some drinks, hot chips, 

and sour candy

you said that the 

more you chew it, 

the more your tastebuds 

will be reacting

I had three pieces of candy 

and half full left of my drink,

what happens 

after that

isn’t anything 

you’d ever think

still no shoes, 

dirt on my feet,

on my hands, 

and in my hair

I only could see that there 

was ragweed everywhere

blood on my knees, 

on the side of my cheek, 

my whole body 

falling weak

there was no time to

lose, no time to think

I looked up to the sky 

that night, it was so 

dark that the stars could 

be used like a flashlight

when it happened, it was 

an hour past midnight

turned over, 

the last thing 

I saw was 

the headlights

above us was 

an array of 

questions and 

flashing red lights

you gave me the

shoes off of your feet, 

the firetruck was halfway 

blocking the street

you were rolled away and

I buckled down in the open seat

I took off your shoes 

when we got there

so that I could 

keep up and my

bare feet helped me 

to be fast enough

in the waiting room, I had 

some water in a paper cup

and I asked the nurse 

for a pair of socks

in the plastic bags 

my dad brought, 

I’m still finding shattered 

glass and dusty rocks

crawling, climbing, 

and crying

I would take all of it 

if that kept me from dying

shivered, shocked, 

and silenced

I knew it from the get-go 

that it’s not our time yet

afraid they wouldn’t 

be able to find us

afraid for any more details 

about this to be discussed

haven’t told anyone 

until this poem, 

because of assumptions or 

misunderstandings 

to which none 

of them I owe

but the moral is, we 

made it in one piece 

back safely 

to home

having these 

visions of debris

flying across 

my face,

I left with my life, a few 

scrapes, aches, and pains

this will not define me,

it will not make me broken

there is destiny waiting 

for me, that's what I’m hoping

the mentality has

been bitterly tough

knocks you down 

so your mind thinks 

you can’t

stand back up 

it holds your 

dreams hostage, 

but when I say that I love you, 

that is my utmost promise

the coffee has 

never smelt so good,

all in all, we are victors 

in what we've withstood

because only you and I 

will have had those emotions

never in my life have 

I taken so much ibuprofen 

I will look back 

on the pictures, 

hear the sound the waves 

crashing in the ocean

baby, we have a 

second chance at life, 

we are of

the chosen

- Leah Rae