Watermelon Winter

Watermelon Winter
by Eve Coleman, December 1992

Yesterday,
In the dead of my worst winter
I bought shoes...

Watermelon shoes.

That's what the salesclerk called them,
anyway.

Magenta snakeskin toes and purple snakeskin heals
Connected the flimsiest of light airy net.
And just at the place on each side
Where my arch might be, two watermelon halves
Broke through.

Bright green semi-circles with hot pink
Snakeskin center
Reminded me of juicy times past and hinted that,
Indeed,
This winter may one day end
And summer come again.

Watermelon shoes.

I squinted hard to see what the clerk saw
And finally saw it, too.
Bright green rind cushioning hot pink fruit.

I took off my heavy woolen socks,
And for a minute,
Just a minute,
I glimpsed the summer that will come again.

Then I took off the shoes,
Putting them carefully away,
And slipped back into my woolen socks.
For now, the image of that box will
Have to do
As I dream of
Watermelon shoes.