Darn

Years ago, when socks had holes,
A housewife would start sewing.
She would try to nip that rip
Before it started growing.

Darning was a nifty skill
Among her many duties.
She’d mend all the clothes, from coats
To tiny baby booties.

Folks today don’t have the time
Or skill or inclination
To make repairs on clothing;
It’s not worth the aggravation.

So when a toe pokes through a hole,
Most people will not stitch it.
It’s easier, by far, to shrug it off
And simply ditch it.

It seems a waste, but after all
This life just overflows
With items that we use and toss – 
That’s just the way it goes.

A housewife from the past
Would cluck her tongue and think it rash
To take a sock with one small hole
And toss it in the trash.

But that’s just what I did today;
And though I am aware
I could have darned that hole, instead
I’ll buy another pair!
Copyright © | Year Posted 2012

Poem

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A   Avatar
May 21, 2012 at 4:11 PM
Ilene, another wonderful win, I'm liking the rhyming game Joyce cooked up herself! Congratulations with your awesome poem,it's nice to see you here with all these lucky poems.. take care :-) * PD
Taylor Avatar
May 19, 2012 at 8:34 AM
Congrats on your win, Ilene. Awesome write. Enjoyed. Great job. hugs, Ralph
Brown Avatar
May 19, 2012 at 6:35 AM
Congratulations on your win in Joyce's "Rhyming Game" contest Ilene. Love, Carol
O'Leary Avatar
May 19, 2012 at 3:05 AM
Your words have knitted a wonderful poem... and congrats... Terry
Williams Avatar
May 19, 2012 at 2:04 AM
ilene congrats on your win, you and Cyndi should get together and create a poetry jumper..David
O'Leary Avatar
April 20, 2012 at 6:26 AM
"A woman's work is never done" but, darn, maybe it shouldn't be overdone ... nice poem about women's 'woes' and also about the 'throw-away' society... Terry
Debole Avatar
April 17, 2012 at 7:08 PM
Ilene - Me too! I'm chucking and not darning. Another great poem. I just selected you as one of my favorite poets. - Gail
Mjelde Avatar
April 16, 2012 at 11:25 AM
Enjouyed your poem great work, it is so to day... Hugs Laila
Collins Avatar
April 16, 2012 at 9:07 AM
I keep meaning to throw my 'holy' toed socks away when I take them off, but always they end upon in the laundry it's deja vu all over again. love, Kathy
Dietrich Avatar
April 15, 2012 at 7:35 PM
hahaha, yeah, better to just buy a new pair, but in my case, I take a safety pin and try to mend it THAT way since it's on my feet nobody can see what I did. hahaha. GOOD poem.
Andresen Avatar
April 15, 2012 at 3:39 PM
To day: BUY AND THROW ! Well written Ilene. - oxox Anne-Lise
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