POEM OF THE DAY - "Mean Green Shoes"

Mean Green Shoes

A poor country girl named Mary
started attending a different school.
A prestigious Ivy League college
where students were considered cool.

Mary walked in quietly to class that day
wearing these mean green shoes.
Club heels and a big bright bow
with some design that looked like 2’s.

Scuff marks around the heels
and a pretty worn out sole.
Some shoe dressing on the top
and the left show had a hole.

She saw an empty chair on the very first row
and calmly took herself a seat.
The professor spotted those mean green shoes and asked,
“What are those doing on your feet”?

He checked himself before she could answer
and told her not to say.
So he bit his lip and chuckled
then just walked away.

Mary wasn’t ashamed or hurt
though she found it rather silly
when the professor changed the way he spoke
in the voice of an old hillbilly.

Now the class thought it was a riot
and laughed at those mean green shoes.
But Mary was a strong woman
and was in no way amused.

So she slammed her hands
down on her desk
and stood up in a flash
took the floor by the professors side
all in one quick dash.

The laughter stopped and jaws dropped
because no one had ever seen
a poor country girl like Mary
demanding respect like a queen.

She said, “Now listen up
and I’ll tell you all
some very shocking news
and just why I came here today
wearing these mean green shoes.

You see I don’t wear them
because I think they’re cute
I wear them because they’re all I’ve got.
They were hand me downs from a rich white man
named, Mr. Lawrence Mitchell Scott.

My mama used to clean his house
and cook for his wife and kids.
She even used to kill their chickens
and feed their filthy pigs.

For thirty years she did all this
and it all came down to one day
when Mr. Lawrence Mitchell Scott and his family
just up and moved away.

Mr. Scott came to me and said,
“Hey gal, you could really use some shoes
so stop looking so mean.
They may not be all that pretty
but they’re fairly nice and clean.

My wife is a doctor now
so she won’t be needing these,
just take them off my hands,
go on, take them please”?

And on that day I made a vow
that my life would forever be
a testament to true hard work
but not social humility.

I took those shoes and put them on
with a simple childish grin.
Saying that I’ll take these shoes
to places they’ve never been.


I’ve taken them to Africa
when I was invited by a king
as a guest at his induction.
I went again just last spring.

I wore them at my graduation
where I was in the top my class.
Oh yea, I strutted in these mean green shoes
with style, grace and sass.

I wore them to a service
as I accepted over six scholarships,
and one now bears my name.
But as I look around I have to ask
can any here say the same?

So go ahead and laugh if you will
laugh until you blow a fuse.
But stop and think for a minute
about these mean green shoes.

Just last week they courted me
across the white house lawn
I had lunch with the president
with these mean green shoes on.

I wasn’t a bit ashamed
but none of you had a clue
that every time I leave my house
I represent each of you.

People alike, God’s children
despite our different views.
But you sit here and have the nerve
to laugh at a pair of shoes.

You see these shoes have carried me
through heat, cold and rain.
From part-time jobs after school
and not once did I complain.

They’ve carried me through life
when times got really rough
but I knew I could accomplish anything
if I wanted it bad enough.

Tired some day and hungry too
but I struggled from dusk to dawn
so I’ve got a collection of calluses
from having these green shoes on.

But mama taught me well
about prayer changing things
and that a closed mouth never gets fed.
And that people that spend time laughing at others
never get ahead.

That success is just a state of mind
and that fate is up to you.
That what goes around comes around
so be careful what you do.

That good guys don’t always finish last
and quitters do sometimes win
but as long as each time you quit
you get up and start again.

That the journey to happiness in necessary
for your soul to thrive
but it doesn’t matter when you get there
just as long as you arrive.

That beauty isn’t always physical
and that self pity isn’t your friend.
That life itself is a precious gift
so live it till the end.

And I knew that one day I’d be somebody
with faith how could I lose?
So one day I’ll buy me some real cute pumps
and rest these mean green shoes.

But until then, they’ll suit me just fine
so I’m sorry I didn’t portray
your upscale style of fashion
when I walked in here today.

But I’ll tell you another thing before I leave
and know that this is true
that one day someone wearing these mean green shoes
may have to carry one of you.

But as the army tells us
to be all that you can be
so in 1 short semester
I’ll have my first degree.

But see my mama said one better
right before she died
and I knew it was the truth
because my mama never lied.

She said that a good life is your reward
but hard work are your dues
and that’s why I keep on
walking
working
trying
striving
praying
crying
and believing
in these damn mean green shoes”.

WYLD STYLZ