FLAT FOOTED SOLILOQUY

These soles, 

stretched across Atlantic into Caribbean,

arched, landed and laid, 

flat against the concrete cotton fields of Brooklyn.

Carrying memories older than bones 

now crowded into red bottomed caskets.

Tight packing, 

tight packer, 

tight packed.

Black patent leather Henrietta Maries.

Kitten heeled Clotildas

These shoes must match the bag-

the luggage-

the baggage-

the cargo.

Can’t go outside barefoot or 

they’ll know 

you are free, or

escaped, or 

are on the loose, or

are loose.

Don’t no man want a woman with big feet. 

She will try to fill his shoes.

Walk herself to the store.

Get a job.

Build a home. 

Be a man and not

 just make one.

C. Jean Blain is a Haitian-American writer and educator. Ms. Blain is a founding member of Dubai SpeakEasy, Write Hard, an inclusive women’s writing and performance collective. C.Jean has received residencies and fellowships from Hedgebrook, the National Endowment for Humanities (NEH), VONA Voices and Dream Yard.  Her work can be found in African Voices, Sukoon Magazine of Arab themed art & Literature,  Gumbo Magazine, NYU Abu Dhabi's Electra Street Journal and elsewhere.