Feet

  Too often hidden in shoes, socks, boots and other apparel.

  Too soon forgotten when we are rewarding ourselves

  the often stated "take a load off" notwithstanding.

  Our feet are too easily neglected by a footless imagination

  made uneasy by how they anchor us in the world.

  Yet there are the crazy-high stiletto heels

   some women wear that need feet to fill them.

   And the Chinese once venerated the golden lotus,

  a foot bound at birth to grow to a point that a woman

  could not walk or even stand comfortably on.

  With the ease of habit we ignore their finer qualities,

  preferring to speak of kicking into gear, kicking

  a door in, or kicking at heaven. But without deft feet

  who would ever execute a  jette,  dazzle with a pirouette

  or power through the acrobatics of a breakdance.