Old Shoes and New Shoestrings
by Nathan A. Baker


Jogging in the park on Saturday I saw her with him
snuggled together like conjoined twins.
I watched them move slowly toward the water garden
faces glowing with love’s radiance.

My reality began to swim like tri-colored koi
in a silver pool of discontentment
as she and her new lover traded kisses for wishes
tossing coins toward the center of the fountain.

When she kissed him again, full on the lips,
I sank with the penny beneath the water’s silence
and hid on the bottom surfacing only
after the two of them walked away.

She was wearing the cross trainers I’d bought for her
the plain laces replaced by pink ones with red hearts.






Copyright © 2024 by Red River Review. First Rights Reserved. All other rights revert to the authors.
No work may be reproduced or republished without the express written consent of the author.