when I was a kid; we were too poor.
So it was socks and undies from Walmart;
shoes from Payless which had to last all year;
a hand-me-down hoodie with holes in the hand pouch;
and school supplies from the Dollar General.
So now, as my daughter is about to start
the 6th grade, which is breaking my brain a little,
I took her to the fancy mall and spoiled her;
everything from Lululemon to Abercrombie,
and a cinnamon-sugar pretzel from Auntie Anne's.
As we were leaving and the stores were closing,
we popped into Footlocker, and I got her
a new pair of white Sambas without the stigma
of them being either school or play shoes
that had to last all year; beat them up, dance
in them, live in them, get them dirty.