The Fall 

​

~Charlotte Makungo Mango 

 

I fell on my  shoes. 

The sky was blue. 

I thought I had nothing to lose,

But when I fell down

I felt like I couldn't get up, 

But there's no time to waste. 

 

I picked up my shoes

and suddenly I had a clue. 

Whatever could I do? 

I found my anchor and my muse. 

A whole new world I got to choose 

Simply because I picked up my shoes.

 

I could find a little world that signified me, 

Whether that was fitting in or standing out. 
 

The next day I wore my pink shoes--

an oddly specific color

like no other-- 

I started to look around

and glanced down, looked 

At everyone else's shoes--

they were a simple multicolor

whether it was gray or white or off or on brand-- 

Their shoes were not pink like mine-- 

They were not unique-- 

a word that rarely came out of my mouth--  

what did it mean?

 

I went to the mirror 

And I stood in the mirror watching my feet-- 

The tension started to emerged and eat-- 

What if no one liked my pink shoes? 

I thought: what if I go back to my other shoes? 

Then it hit me if I went back 

I would start all over and fall again.

What would be the point if I didn't skate in these shoes? 

​

I have little to no time to lose, 

So I picked up my new shoes 

And started to move. 

​

For the first time I felt finally free. 

It didn't matter this time if I fell, 

Because the people around me 

Wouldn't hesitate to pick me up right off my feet. 

Then another realization hit--

It was never the shoes. 

Everyone's shoes are designed for them specifically. 

In the end it was the fact 

When I got new shoes 

I learned to adapt to the good and bad-- 

All because I fell on my shoes 

I became adapted to challenges and found my muse.