By Ishmael von Heidrick-Barnes
Van Gogh’s Shoes
I left Amsterdam
with a pair of shoes
found nailed to a wall
Retreated
from the impasto strokes of boats
painting canals
with psychedelic cafes
and gabled brothels:
The piracy of capitalism
pillaging its weakest flowers
I refused to wear a gas mask
or take guided tours
of the holocaust
Why pay an arm or leg
for a brand
that continues to sail worldwide?
I survived
murder by bicycle
witnessed
the bloody orgasm of light
carving bodies of water
without tasting cheese under glass
If it wasn’t for Van Gogh’s shoes
a product of poverty
I might have lost my shirt
to Dutch tolerance
laughing all the way to Swiss banks
Ishmael von Heidrick-Barnes was born and raised in San Diego, California. He attended Herbert Hoover High School and went on to study Religion and Theology at the University of San Diego. His book Intimate Geography, published by Ragged Sky Press, won the 2012 San Diego Book Award for Poetry. Ish, as he is known, has also written lyrics for German musicians Andrea Hörkens and Thomas Roderburg (Tender Art).
Latest posts by Ishmael von Heidrick-Barnes (see all)
- Word’s Out | Geo-Poetic Spaces - December 14, 2018
- Political Love Affair | Geo-Poetic Spaces - December 7, 2018
- Deer Tracks | Geo-Poetic Spaces - November 30, 2018
