give them up

her shoes,
penny loafers,
unglued and flapping
on this cold
October night
showing her
toes, brown
and worn
the sides of leather
and stitching
falling
apart with each
new step.
watching for glass,
for nails,
for anything sharp
in her path,
she says, these
are my lucky shoes,
I can't give
them up just yet.