TOO MANY CLOTHES
In the winter when cold hits minus thirty
And the wind blows to feel like minus forty,
When in that kind of weather you have to go out
You do look as if you are really very stout.

The bottom layer are long john’s, extra thick,
Then warm wooly sweater that shows no nick
Where the wind can get in, warm pants too,
Another layer on top that should see you through.

Then comes the coat, gloves and scarves and hat,
No wonder you look a funny shape and rather fat.
Just noses showing and tears still come to your eyes,
You feel like a blimp as you walk and look at your size.

Still cold when you are outside, too hot in the stores,
It’s so hard for you climb in and out of your cars,
The big warm boots trying to keep your feet warm,
You look like a robot determined to do much harm.

Yet when you are all wrapped up cosy and warm,
And you have to go or you will come to great harm,
This is the time all those layers of clothes you hate,
For by the time they are all off it’s almost too late.

M Ann Margetson January 17, 2002