Dorothy steps
anxiously
through the glass
store door
Comparing color
& price for
a new pair of
shoes, touching
here and there
feeling their texture
Wondering where
They’ve been,
Nervously – Clicking
her red heels
out of habit and
Slides them off
Noting the lines
on her feet from
Wearing the same
size for so long
Slipping a pair of
Older worn green
Heels, onto her
Tired feet, then
Something jolts
This farm-girl like
A lightning bolt
shaken / sitting down
Wondering if she
knows the whole truth
& both sides of the story
Uncomfortable to
Choose the cost
To be, to walk
In someone else’s shoes
*My character for the Poetics Prompt was Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz” and the lesson I learned when I saw the show “Wicked” on Broadway last week.
Gretchen Leary 2013
Gretchen Leary (McIntire) 
This is adorable!
Thank-you 🙂
Ah, so she exchanged her red shoes for an older pair of green ones. I liked the idea of this making her think about whether she really know what it was like to walk in another person’s shoes or not. I think many of us might think that we do, but I wonder how many of us really do. I think Dorothy was WISE to wonder and not just to conclude that she DID.
Hmm…well seeing the show Wicked sure did make me wonder! 🙂
I haven’t either read the book or seen the musical. I definitely would LIKE to though!
ha. i like the lesson in this…that walking in anothers shoes is not always easy, but then again it is sometimes required so that we can see their perspective on the world…again, not easy at all….in that we may still not find the whole truth, but surely at least a bit more of it…
WICKED good writing, Gretchen. Love the new take on Dorothy’s new shoes 🙂
Hehe, thanks Tony! I see you get my point 🙂
Love this, Gretchen. one of my favorite people, Dorothy.
Same here! I was Dorothy many times on Halloween. Always wanted a pair of those ruby slippers 🙂
New Shooooooes! Always an exciting thing! Love the metaphor too Gretchen.
The funny thing is that this poem has a direct parallel to my own life. I have such a hard time putting myself in someone else’s shoes until I’m forced to walk in them. Life lessons learned through experience. 🙂
very cool…surely trying to walk in someone else’s shoes gets us out of our comfort zone..and from flat red to heels green is quite a big jump
Sure gives her a new perspective 🙂
Terrific…sometimes you do have to walk in another persons shoes to gain perspective…well done. Just love the wizard of oz…such a favourite!
Very good, Dorothy is such a coold caracters and walking in someone’s shoes sure is a change of perspective.
Walking on someone’s shoes, there is a lot of meaning here ~ Creative take on the Wizard’s story ~
Ha! Surprise ending! Love it!
nice internal rhyme, nice story, good job.
Thank-you!
A very entertaining and clever poem…yes, sometimes it’s hard to walk in another’s shoes and see their perspective.
Dorothy in Green Heels? Hmmmm? Nope Can’t see it 😉
Cinderella Limerick
Lol well there is a reason for the color green but its true. Hard to imagine her in any color other than red 🙂
…being on someone else’s shoes…walking on someone else’s feet is never easy though same way to be crossed… def familiarization is way too long to learn… i didn’t notice Dorothy has red shoes or maybe i don’t enough attention on that part… smiles… happy easter Gretchen…
This is a very cool slant on the story, and a terrific response to the prompt. Enjoyed it muchly!
Thank-you Sherry 🙂
I like the way you tied Dorothy’s shoes (pun intended, even though they’re slippers) to the concept of walking in anothers shoes. Nicely done!
Thank-you! It was fun as this draws a direct parallel to my life right now too 🙂
Very cool poem. k .
oh! took me back to childhood when i read an abridsged version of the book! seuperb and loved your take!! I did read the one penned by you on miltonian too..ad loved it too inspite of the rhyme…saomehoew could not leave a comment there so thought ll mention it here, anyweay!
Nice. I like the lesson here. It is uncomfortable to walk in someone else’s shoes. Good write.
This mirrored the book well. It’s a wonderful meditation on our assumptions about good and evil. The “walking in someone else’s shoes” part resonates… Love, Amy
“SLides them off
noting the lines.” and
“both sides of the story”
You really strike familiar chords with this, Gretchen.
Really great write.
oh well done Gretchen!
Tis true that we tend to stick to our comfortable shoes…
Anna :o]