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A huge thank you to the friend-of-every-poet, and a truly kind soul, Irene Latham for hosting this week! Please visit Live Your Poem to enjoy some of Irene’s gorgeous ArtSpeak poetry and the weekly roundup.

Thank you to Linda Baie for inviting us to join the #PoetryPals September Poetry Challenge. Here’s Linda’s description:

We’re wandering through Wallace Stevens’ “13 Different Ways of Looking…” at something. Maybe it’s not 13 ways – maybe it’s only seven. Maybe it’s not a blackbird or anything alive, but something inanimate. Whatever happens, your way of looking will be different than mine, and I’m here for it. Are you in? Good!

While sitting at my desk pondering this wonderful challenge, the first thing that caught my eye was my big toe!

88 Fashionable Toe Nail Designs to Try in 2024 in 2024 – NailDesignCode

Note: None of these are my toes. That felt too weird to post, although, posting other people’s toes is probably also rather weird…

Anywho, thirteen things! Well, there aren’t many similarities between my poem and “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird” by Wallace Stevens. His poem was more insightful and poetic, more clearly formatted, and perhaps based upon a better topic!    : / 

But I had fun!

The Big Toe

I support this whole operation:
     balance queen,
          head of the household,
               first in line for a swift kick.

You say I take more
than my share
of shoe space?
Maybe I am a
polish hog,
but I can’t help if I’m
big boned.
Besides, I’m only a
little piggy …
when I go to market.

Even though
my head
sticks out farthest,
I’m stubbed far less
than my smaller siblings.
They tend to
cut
corners.

I’m a born leader.
I move independently.
Sure, I’m a bit
calloused,
but who doesn’t
have a few
rough edges?

I work proficiently
and silently,
unlike that
high-and-mighty thumb.
What’s so great
about being opposable
anyway?

You can count on me.
I’m a steadfast,
often-neglected-yet-vital
phalange.

© Tracey Kiff-Judson, 2024

Wishing you a toe-tally Happy Poetry Friday!