It was always the shoes
who but a tender windfall girl
fresh corn in Munchkin, Quadling, Ozian fields
clad in slippers fit for balls, entranced
by winking, silver, tinkling
whispers from older, hidden belles

A prince or handsome stranger
could have offered precious lures
yet discarded misfits snared the searching child
curious about these raggle taggle things
a tin man, lion, man of straw
outcasts trailing after innocence

Dorothy watched a tin can become a man
rusting metal encircling flesh, a machination
of designs, a man of straw lithely torqued
twisted body and mind, unlocked vessels
while a hairy, ferocious lion of a man
chose his freedom and right to hunt

The shoes continued to lead her on
dancing through a field carpeted in dreams
lush poppies brought them opium sleep
heavy visions laden with power
courage, kindness and desire
the unerring virtue of blind trust

Reality she barely grasped
storm-formed visions disturbed her stupor
shifting slumber dragged heavy shapes
that field trodden she awoke feeling broken
as her shoes tainted red
as the blood of decaying flowers

Evidence for detectives
and every knowing witch
that she would never be the same
could not undo forward momentum
that hurled a house onto a witch
propelled her into a madcap world

Each companion had their wish, their wont
except for what she wanted, a way to return
home, guiltless, knowing where to belong
not be owned, or ordered about
somehow mother to weird animations
on endless quests, her reward kept waiting

The shoes propelled her, hiding secrets
of what lay around the next bend
she wanted to choose her path
rather than be hurled down, stumbling on
their belief she would find a way
contradicting her need to be on her own

The slippers had always compelled
binding her to their drive
she never thought to kick them off, run
free from the pressures of breaking trails
and what womanhood meant
until the charlatan granted her request

She clicked her heels to spiral on
carrying memories, strange thoughts
and something growing within
to tap out her new life when she touched down