Too Big

By Mae Stewart

PROMPT—The story I told myself ...

Waterproof

Protective

Durable

Purchased for urban rainy days

Nothing chews up Wellies like city sidewalks

So, I purchased Doc Martins

A size 10 for my

humongous feet

The artwork on them

Is red roses and

blue skulls

with silver beads for eyes

People always comment

When I wear them

Now, I wear them

With my late husband’s

Black leather driving coat

And his black leather fedora

That are too big and swallow me

Similar to how the grief

Swallows me

Too Big

Although, I can’t hang the grief on

A hanger in the closet

And nobody compliments me

On the grief

Yet it is proving to be

Durable

Protective

Waterproof

---

Writing is forever Mae Stewart's first love. Photography, herbalism, and fiber arts all came after the thrill of that first short story written in first grade. Mae wandered into her first Amherst Writers and Artists (AWA) writing experience in Feb 2017, at a tarot writing workshop hosted by Big Blue Marble Bookstore in Mt Airy in Philadelphia, PA. Since then, she has attended hundreds of AWA workshops and retreats, completed affiliate training in 2024, met many incredible writers and facilitators, and made friends near and far who share her passion of writing in this method. Mae is the founder of Urban Lemonade: When life in the city gets you down, write about it! in hopes of building a supportive community and encouraging others to express themselves. Mae writes from Philadelphia, PA.