Satin Slippers | Teen Ink

Satin Slippers

October 7, 2012
By GraphicWriter DIAMOND, Yuba City, California
GraphicWriter DIAMOND, Yuba City, California
63 articles 10 photos 89 comments

Pitter patter, pitter pat,
The rain comes down on rail road tracks.
The people crowd and wait and cheer,
The train and all its passengers,
Coming near.

A little child,
Holds the hand,
Of an older, kinder,
Gentleman.

Her tiny feet dance,
In her brand new shoes,
She bounces in the puddles,
That reflect the grey of the sky,
Just to add to the unknown,
Bad news.

The train screeches to a stop,
And all its inhabitants climb off.
One in particular,
His shoes they shine,
In her young memory;
With a face very alike the one,
That belongs to the hand,
That holds her.

This man,
With his fresh pressed uniform,
Comes to a pause,
And kneels before the child,
In her hands he presses a flag,
Folded and tight.

She looks up from her shoes,
To see a face,
Unlike the one she expected,
And her heart races at an
Uneven pace.
She takes the flag,
And at it she stares,
Thinking of the man that should’ve come home,
But never will,
Never to see how much she has grown.


The author's comments:
This poem is about a child who loses her father to war and finds out at a train station while holding her grandfather's hand, waiting to see her father's face. But instead, she is greeted by another soldier, and a folded, cold flag.

Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 4 comments.


on Jul. 20 2013 at 6:26 pm
GraphicWriter DIAMOND, Yuba City, California
63 articles 10 photos 89 comments
Thank you(:

on Jul. 20 2013 at 12:19 pm
DawnieRae BRONZE, Lancaster, Ohio
3 articles 0 photos 218 comments
I didn't understand this poem when I first read it. But now that I have thought about it I understand better. I really love the way you told the story. It is a wonderful poem.

on Jan. 5 2013 at 1:51 pm
GraphicWriter DIAMOND, Yuba City, California
63 articles 10 photos 89 comments
I just enjoy hearing back from people reading my work, comment on anything you want to! And thank you, I had to play around with the words quite a bit to get the ending that satisfied me.

on Dec. 30 2012 at 10:26 pm
TaylorWintry DIAMOND, Carrollton, Texas
72 articles 0 photos 860 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Never fear shadows. They simply mean there's a light shining somewhere nearby." - Unknown

Interesting! This made me think very deeply... too deeply for a Sunday night. Just kidding! (; This is really depressing, but is enlightening at the same time. You really captured the childish sense of eagerness as this is and it is spectacular. Great job.       I've checked out several of your pieces, but I'd like to know if there is one in particular that you would like me to look at. (: