- THE SHOES
I HAVE a pair of new shoes.
They are nice. They have low heels."
So her letter says, and the brief words bruise
My soul and break deep seals.
It is strange! I have talked with her
Of the wistful tears of things;
Of the earth and the gods and the thoughts that stir
The soul, as a wave-tossed voyager
Is stirred by the touch of wings.
But nothing of all I said
Of the gods and the fatal sky,
And the magical stars that over each head
Go heavy with destiny,
Had half such power to bruise;
Or break such world-deep seals,
As, "I have a pair of new shoes.
They are nice. They have low heels."
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1927.
The author died in 1963, so this work is also in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 50 years or less. This work may also be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.