Unwanted

Unwanted

Coming in from the sunlit lane, where I had
been stalked by a shadow that wasn’t mine,
it was as a cave under the solid branches of
a thick leaved carob tree.

Yet the tree emitted an unnerving one tone
sound just like a telephone before it is dialed
and when my eyes adjusted to the darkness,
I saw ants coming up from a hole.

They began eating my leather shoes, there
was nothing I could do, not with the surplus
shadow hanging about, wanting to join me
since it’s own owner died this morning

The ants were now eating my socks, soon
they will start eating at my toes, but luckily
the sun is fading, as is the lost shadow, and
now the ants are nibbling at my feet

It’s dark, ants’ gone back down their hole,
the lane, in moonlight looks, as a silk scarf,
and by the verge I see, calf-skin boots; and
sharp pebbles hurt my bare and bloody feet.

Alluring is the pull, I touch the boots, how
soft they are, but I see the shadow, curled up
in a ditch, waiting. No, I’ll not try them on
I refuse to wear a dead man’s shoes.
.