PUTTING A SHIRT TO REST
It has to be in pretty rough shape to put a shirt to rest,
With immoveable stains and frayed collar part of the test,
Off white and cuffs a mess or getting tight everywhere,
At least four of these five things just have to be there.

For my husband it is saying farewell to a good friend,
A shirt that has served him well life doesn’t want to end,
But we save the buttons so all of the shirt is not lost,
Another problem is finding a replacement at low cost.

See the shirt is now a soft duster, it is all limp and drab,
Put into the growing rag box for anyone to go and grab,
To clean or polish, or heaven forbid to clean the car,
I feel that my husband would think that going too far.

I see others that are getting quite a lot worse for wear,
But when I mention this fact I just get a cold hard stare,
It is his choice to relegate a faithful shirt to the rag pile,
Today it happened a favourite went along death’s mile.

Now I have to persuade him a nice new shirt to buy,
A white shirt with a button down collar for others fly,
But he will wait until another friend shirt bites the dust,
Or until the purchase becomes a desperate needed must.

(Millicent) Ann Margetson 20 July 2004