branta

I am Borges walking on a stamped path by an icy river kicking ice crust with brown leather.

I am a Balinese girl, Pandjerah, gamelan player number ten.

I am godson of a famous actor who has never made a film better than Zaat.

I am Cezanne’s gardener, watering hot Aix jonquilles with l’eau vert.

I am the black-eyed student, Gunther, studying Panca Tattva.

I am Can-God upon whose shopping cart cans are piled halfway to Saturn’s rings.

I am a Pakistani cabbie who drives with one foot tucked under and the other foot

hopping between gas and brake.

I am Johannes Itten’s student, pre-war Germany, dark haired and portrayed as brooding and

instable.

I am Johannes Itten’s bubbly blonde who likes pastels and yellow who chirps of Arian futures.

I am Elton James Bigelow, seller of shoes, sandles, and pumps in widths of AA to EEEEEE.

What I saw in the shoe shop was also what I smelled in the shoe shop.

I saw a man ask for the largest heels we carried and I noticed he had the outline of an erection

as I managed the shoe onto his foot. He whispered, “I like my toes in small hot spaces.”

I saw a woman wearing a short skirt who sat with hiked skirt, teasing with the fact she wore

biking shorts as a chastity belt. She said, “These days there are so many upskirt photographers

with digital cameras taped to their shoes.”

I saw hammer toe, one more little-piggy all the way from home, two, snow white and the

seven dwarves, bunionettes, tailor’s toe, claw toe, mallet toe, hypertrophy.

I saw a ballerina with turf toe who told me so. She said, “I’m flexible in bed but I’m looking

at double hip surgery by forty-five.”

I saw a woman who didn’t know what sort of shoes to buy. When I told her that a pair of

shoes highlighted her ankles she wanted more. When I told her a pair accented her height she

waffled. When I called her an indecisive bitch she pulled my head close to her thigh and bought a

pair of faux alligator, emerald green.

I am Elton James Bigelow, vendor of all things foot and feet, and for one month now, Assistant Manager.