when you’re young
a pair of
female
high-heeled shoes
just sitting
alone
in the closet
can fire your
bones;
when you’re old
it’s just
a pair of shoes
without
anybody
in them
and
just as
well.

Analysis, meaning and summary of Charles Bukowski's poem Shoes

3 Comments

  1. art chapman says:

    A great poem; vintage Bukowski—subtle humor, street wise, and expressed with accessible realism—the decline of the libido in advancing age. The shoes are a symbol of female sensuality.

  2. jennifer says:

    i love shoes soooo much! sometimes when im at stores i will go ahead and try on shoes even if i know that i probably won’t buy them. ya i know it sounds a crazy but ya.

  3. flutur kukic says:

    shoes i love them so much even though i have only 78 pairs i hate wearing them i only like seein them in the shelf all nice and clean

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