At the Cobbler's

The philanderer
got his boots licked everywhere.
But at the cobbler's,
they were beaten and nailed,
and sewn to new soles.

At the cobbler's
they were polished, blackened, rekindled;
their craters were reformed,
the dimples were killed
and the perfect holes
healed, sealed.

At the cobbler's
they were not chased by mongrels,
that circled poles
and swam about in dregs
and muck.

At the cobbler's
they were not racked.