In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

sizing up the cost of war devorah major february 2006 what is left but the shoes shoes scu¤ed and torn no longer having feet to carry them shoes empty now work boots still bearing mud from the last Weld that he had plowed with his father empty now red sneakers with white stripes brought back from america by her oldest son given to her youngest both of them immediately running outside kicking the soccer ball back and forth the older ruºing the youngster’s head after a well aimed goal empty now heavy and white they were the Wrst pair of shoes she ever walked in the Wrst she had learned to untie so that she could wriggle out and once again feel the sand sift between her toes empty now his work boots were resoled many times next season he would have bought a new pair or perhaps the season after that major / sizing up the cost of war 239 but these old ones darkened from the oil had become supple and familiar they knew his feet grasped his ankles and kept them strong empty now she had smiled when he o¤ered the embossed leather pumps made for her in italy from the pattern he had carefully traced around her narrow feet long toes tapered in perfect symmetry empty now regulation boots smoothed by the sand salt crystals seeming to be so much of the desert they had walked the inside soles showing imprints of thick heavy feet empty now and these hand made slippers that were a vanity only a grandmother’s silk Xowered kiss that never touched the ground because as her father’s favorite she was still carried everywhere empty now the red heels she saved for the brown loafers passed down the sandals strapped and tied all empty now the Xesh gone the blood gone the legs gone all gone 240 part 11 parading poetry ...

Share