Putting on Shoes

By Jean Cornick

Putting on shoes is a hard thing to do,

For shoes come in pairs—I always have two.

Left shoe on left foot, that’s where it goes.

A shoe on the wrong foot will pinch all my toes.

I loosen the laces and open the top.

Then in go my toes—but sometimes they stop

With the toes halfway in and the heel hanging free.

Putting on shoes is as hard as can be.

When each of my feet is just where it should go,

Then comes the hard part—making a bow.

Some laces are limp, like spaghetti in strands;

Some wriggle like snakes and slip out of my hands.

Putting on shoes is a good thing to know,

And I’m always so proud when I’ve tied a nice bow.

Folks think it’s easy and say, “Aren’t you through?”

But putting on shoes is a hard thing to do.