Theory X versus Theory Y
Peter Knaggs

…that one, that saying, I was thinking about it.
If you want to know a man, walk a mile in his shoes,
and wanting to improve my understanding of how
exactly another man might think, I went
to a Conservative Party conference and found
our dear Prime Minister. I asked him if I could
borrow his shoes, to understand him, don’t you see?

Get off, get off, he said, get back to your council house.
But Prime Minister, I need to walk a mile in your shoes
so that I can understand you, better. As I said this
a French TV crew turned up. Our Prime Minister smiled.
He took off his shoes. Here, take them, he said, in socks,
he’s trying to understand me, moi, he said to the camera.
He wants to walk a mile in my shoes, have some empathy.
I’ll bring them back, I said, going. No, no. Please keep
them, he said, not asking me anything about my footwear.

Peter Knaggs is a workshop leader, editor, poet and author of Cowboy Hat and You're So Vain You Probably Think This Book Is About You.

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