Tight Squeeze

Heels tapped on the pavement, cracked red patent flashed ’Stop!’
She could only go, despite the pinch on her little toe.
Her sister’s shiny red leather rubbed her blisters raw.
She had none of her own, no trainers, boots or sandals to her name.
She had sold everything to fund her habit, to keep her sane.
If she’d read the story, she’d have known about the tight squeeze of a red shoe.

Kim M. Russell, 23rd July 2026

Image by Sandy Millar on Unsplash

A poem from April 2018, originally written for a Poetry School NaPoWriMo Prompt, now reworked  as a response to Denise’s Six Sentence Story Prompt. There is “no forced switch to another format in order to participate.” The prompt word, ‘pinch’ was given last Sunday, “to use in a story, next scene, soc or portion of poetry in exactly 6 sentences.” The rules are easy to follow: Write 6 Sentences. No more. No less.

11 thoughts on “Tight Squeeze”

  6. I love shoes, anyone who knows me knows I have a huge collection and there are some that will pinch… Some rather expensive ones too… And some I got for free or for very little money (I hunt them at the second hand stores, some people donate shoes that still have tags on and look like never worn, some old collectable ones too)…that are very high and never cause a problem. Mystery.

    This was my first thought. However, the part of her selling her belongings to stay sane hit a bit differently and made me sad for her a bit.

    A good six.

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