These Running Shoes

These Running Shoes 

These running shoes 

   have been through 

        so much with me. 

They've carried me along as I ran  

               from myself when I felt like  

                   I needed to disappear, lost… 

When I knew I needed to leave, 

         but I didn't know in which direction, 

             and then ran back again towards myself.  

The colors were dark gray shades 

          to hide stains of dirt and wear and tear  

             like my soul masking, so much smiling strength  

when I didn't want to show 

       all that I was going through 

             and a touch of pink to preserve the young 

woman who became stronger in muscle 

         but tried to remain soft to the winds  

                   of joy that would someAmes arrive. 

A winged symbol on each side, 

    a reminder of the Greek goddess of victory,   

                 hoping for my own kind of divine triumph. 

It was easier to walk through life like these shoes. 

         And now after a decade, these soles are torn open,   

                      leaving them behind in sadness, but in freedom too, 

unmasking. 

         They should have worn out years ago, 

                                                         just like me…