Gardening shoes

since I gave up on black leather boots

years ago the best I’ve had

are a retired pair of New Balance trainers

already split sideways at the toes

for maximum comfort or drainage

my aim is that they will see me out

if not of terrestrial being

at least out of gardening

with which I’ve endured a lifelong

ambivalent relationship

I like digging turning planting

though repetitious weeding

thinning watering too easily bore me

but then as I’m often reminded

I also like eating

in the meantime (make it

a long time) this familiar disorderly

footwear sorts with my

amateur endeavours as the spade

fits my hand and my hand the spade

Tony Beyer

Tony Beyer is working on new poems in Taranaki. His print titles include Anchor Stone (2017) and Friday Prayers (2019), both from Cold Hub Press.