I’m puttin’ my red boots, red boots, red boots on—
Puttin' on my red boots and goin' to town.
Gonna' buy myself a puppy, eyes big and brown..
Buy yourself a puppy with your red boots on?
Red boots, red boots, red boots on---
Puttin' on my red boots and goin' to town
Gonna' buy myself a cookie, crunchy and round.
Buy yourself a cookie with your red boots on?
Red boots, red boots, red boots on---
Puttin' on my red boots and goin' to town
Gonna' buy myself a bunny, soft as down.
Gonna' buy myself a bunny, soft as down.
Buy yourself a bunny with your red boots on?
Red boots, red boots, red boots on—
THEN
Mama said, “No, you can’t go to town
With your red boots on.
With your red boots on.
No puppy, no cookie, no bunny, no town.
You are stayin’ home with your red boots, red boots, red boots.
You are stayin’ home with your red boots off."
For my grandchildren
Be careful. They might decide to try their blue boots...
ReplyDeleteThere is always that possibility.
DeleteJust wait until they're old enough to put on their their their their their boogie shoes!
ReplyDeleteWill they put them on the right feet?
DeleteSomeday they will be big enough to tell you that their boots were made for walkin'!
ReplyDeleteOh, that will be all too soon.
DeleteTalk about a buzz kill.
ReplyDeleteJust when he was ready to steal Mom's credit card!
DeleteSpoilsport.
ReplyDeleteI strongly suspect my younger self would have headed off anyway - in bare feet.
My brother in crime and I did those walks barefoot too. We never got away with it.
DeleteAww, I think if he has to stay home he should at least be allowed to keep the red boots on.
ReplyDeleteIt is an exertion of power I think. Taking away the mode of transportation in boots was a reminder of who is in charge.
DeleteSomehow I can't think of anything clever enough to top what the other commenters have said. Maybe because I have never had any boots of my own, red or otherwise.
ReplyDeleteGo out and buy some! I am thinking of doing that exact thing!
DeleteThey sure are wonderful boots.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
As long as the water stayed out, the boots were just fine.
DeleteHi Susan - wonderful poem and memoir ... such a fun read - I think we only had black ones when I was a kid ... I'm quite jealous of all the colours now ... still I can watch and enjoy ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteWhen we lived in Ireland, we had "wellies" which were worn nearly 100% after school ended.
DeleteOne reads a poem and immediately gets an impression. It's the same with looking at a picture or seeing something real in a store etc.
ReplyDeleteWe all interpret according to our own experience.
Anyway. I felt a child wanting something. Something that all other children have and need. Then I felt the mother telling the child that he couldn't have it. I felt poverty.
I think of a runaway 4 year old. My brother and I went on adventures to downtown of our very small town. Sometimes we had found a nickel or dime, and then we bought PayDay candy bars. We ate them as we sat on the sidewalk in front of the store.
Deleteinteresting interpretation above. My impression was a small child excited by his red boots and wanting to go somewhere just to be walking in them.
DeleteIn my mind, little boy just got these red boots and wanted to go somewhere. So he put them on and head to town. Mom caught him along the way, and thus home sans boots. For me and my brother we had the run of the town, small town 427 people. One time the phone operator called Mom to tell her we were heading to the grocery store. Couldn't get away with anything.
DeleteWhatever the story is .... this little boy will always be wanting adventure no matter what color boots he has on. lol
DeleteCute!
ReplyDeleteChildren are cute anyway!
DeleteNooo. Life was so good with them on. That is too tough a punishment to stay home with them off.
ReplyDeleteIf they were muddy, then off they go!
DeleteI loved the poem (song). I 'rapped it' wish I had thought of that when I told my grands the 'good night stories'. LOL Of course loved the comments and replies. good stuff.
ReplyDeleteJust a little cool here in Florida, but it will warm up!
Thanks for an eye opener at 'After 10 am'.
Sherry & jack
Oh, I hope you read it to them. Writing poems is fun anyway, but esp. ones for kids.
DeletePS: Imma thinking, I believe I had red boots in the 40s! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI think I had yellow.
DeleteBeautifully written.
ReplyDeleteHope you're well Susan :)
Maybe you have a red boot person?
DeleteI had black boots, how boring is that. I love red and would have been proud to own a pair.
ReplyDeleteGo for it! If not available locally, Amazon could help!
DeleteCute poem about red boots.
ReplyDeleteNow, everytime I see a youngster splashing around, I will think of my poem!
DeleteI've kept this post on my browser simply so that I can keep coming back and looking at the red boots photo!
ReplyDeleteGreat photo. I searched for something with red boots, and this photo was perfect.
Delete