The Winter Coat - a poem

We had read Pablo Neruda's "Ode to a pair of socks" and Erica Jong's "Ode to My Shoes (After Neruda, who left us his socks)" so doing something on a piece of clothing was the target of the group. This what evolved.

The Winter Coat –


Now in the attic
Hanging retired
The right pocket torn
The front garage spotted
Its usage visible, tired
Shoulder rounded
Cuff dirt creased
Zipper tag hanging bent
No place to go
At the end of its time

There was a year
When it had a place of pride
With work coats, dress coats
Style, color, warmth, shine
Surrounded by action
Visiting events, galas, friends
Hands slapping its back
Fabric brushing others
Passing thru minutes, days
With love, sex, sweat and ice
Sun and snow shielding
Rain run through to keep its luster.

It was a present
A gift to fill a need
For warmth in winter
To cast the image of newness.
A cost of consequence
An important message
To the receiver
From Father to Son
At a late phase in life
Where each had everything
But still there was thought
The father now dead, the son aging
The memory there
In the attic
Tucked away
But not thrown away
When will it fade
What will be the final move
How soon?

So pick a piece of clothing and start in and see what evolves.