OL' SOFT SHOES
- Aug 18, 2025
- 2 min read
By Kyreonna April Davis
Hear the violence in every score!
Hear the violins’ screeches soar!
Every night, my ears bleed sore!
Who’s there tapping on my floor?
A wandering spirit in my home,
Jiving to that saxophone,
To that jazzy, fazzy tune:
A-one, a-two, a-one, two.
Every Holy night since June,
To that jizzy, fizzy tune,
I hear the ol’ soft tappy shoes:
A-tip, a-tap, a-tappy too.
Tapping softly through my door,
Clicking– clacking more and more,
Tippy tapping on my floor:
A-one, a-two, a-three, four.
This final night, I’ll not condone!
With ire ripping up my throat,
I raise my head from my pillow,
I raise my voice and let him know,
“Whoever it be, let it rest!
Every night, you dance your best!
I beggeth thee for a good night’s sleep!
Grant to me, or it’s hell you’ll reap!”
Silence followed after me.
The tipping– tapping falls to cease.
I close my eyes in soft serene.
Awakened by the tapping tease!
Louder and harder the tappy shoes,
Tip-tap tapping to the blues!
The piano plinks its melody!
Harmonicas cry in harmony!
I jump in anger from my bed!
Enraged, I stomp down my steps!
My ankle twists. I trip and slip
Down my stairs and pop a hip!
I’m lying on my cold hard floor
On my back. I’m feeling sore!
The tippy tapping’s hard and more:
A-one, a-two, a-three, four!
I hear the tipping coming near,
The tipping tapping in my ears.
I feel the tippy ol’ soft shoes,
Tapping on my body. Blues!
Tip-tip, tappy on my head.
Tippy tappy ‘til I bled.
Tip-tip, tappy on my chest,
Through my heart, I’m tapped to death.
***
Finally, I’m blessed with sleep-
A still, sombre, hungered sleep.
It cost my life. Shall no one weep!
I’m given freedom and peace to keep.
In my sleep, I hear a tune-
A fizzy, fazzy, jazzy tune.
I hear the trumpets whopping, too:
A-one, a-two, a-one, two.
Strutting– hopping on my grave,
That wandering soul’s still tapping brave.
Haunting me with every tap:
A-click, a-clack, a-tip, tap.