his shoes

when he left,
he left behind his shoes,
lined on the steps.
shoes for work,
for mowing,
shoes for sunday,
for painting
the back fence.
did he not see them
as he carried his
suitcase
down to leave.
was there no room
to pack them?
or were they left to
tell us something.
to remind us
of what we had to fill
with him no longer
there.