the gold and glitter

the silver and shine

all on these two little shoes

crafted with the utmost care

they reflect Chinese culture and tradition

as well as the spirit of the artist

who created them from his heart

for others and for future generations

a pair of identical souls

you can call them

or a couple of lovers

or bond of friendship

gaze at these

and you will ask

how can a human

design such delights

tight, small, humid, callous:

how can such sparkling and colorful jewels for the feet

be the cause of unbearable physical, emotional, and mental stress

two mini-prisons for the feet:

how beautiful

a spectacle

yet inside are two trapped entities

when the make-up comes off

and the gems are flipped away

the true surface reveals plainness

on which enlarging holes and tears live

and stitches abound

and dried red droplets percolate