Iām reading Hot Milk by Deborah Levy and this phrase jumped out at me, for some reason. So I played with it.
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Plundered
āI can think better in shoes with laces,ā she said. ā- from Hot Milk by Deborah Levy
Because they keep her secrets snug between her toes, wrapped around her instep while the laces swaddle, keep her feet warm and dry.
Shoeless feet lead to feeling discombobulated enough to spill secrets. Not them, but her.
One must take care of oneās feet at all costs.
She thinks of the places sheās been in her life - the expansive ones and the strangling ones.
She thinks of the people who appeared in her life - the honeyed ones and the arsenic-laden ones.
She thinks of the arsenic-laden one she clashed with in the strangling place.
She thinks about her bare feet trying to kick, to run.
Some secrets are best kept underfoot, covered.
Her daughter thinks sheās crazy, that her feet and brain are pinched. Her daughter says, Hush, now, mamma. Let me take your shoes off so your feet can breathe.
Her feet breathe just fine, holding secrets that flow down from her plundered heart, keeping the biggest secret of all from her daughter.
Bravo, Charlotte! Great story, love what youāve done with Deborah Levyās (no relation to me LOL - but I wish šāŗļø) wonderful line. Thatās always fun to do, plusāyou honor the writer as well. Deb
Beautiful, Charlotte. Hot Milk has been on my TBR list for a long time. One of these days Iām going to get to it!