I began my life with hand-me-downs
From my older siblings, then two and four
My mother was adept at scrimping,
Having lived through the 2nd World War
We circled items in the Sears catalogue,
Circa 1968
A green fur coat! My face lit up,
Was christened Christmas tree by my bus mates
We had to wear our rubbers when it rained
But I disdained them, suffered writing lines
98, 99, 100 times,
To deter getting ‘soakers’ the next time
My mom adored red and deemed that I must, too -
Scratchy woolen toques, plaid pants in grade four
Mostly she wore a faded tattered house dress
While she baked, or waxed the tiled floor
When I was
ten, I wore my brother’s denim
When the
knees wore out, scissors made them shorts
When they
were stolen from the change room at school
I was a
surly girl, quite out of sorts
In grade 8 I was allowed to shop
With a $25 monthly stipend
I would also borrow trendy outfits
From my sister or my best friend
After many years, red has returned
And polka dots have never gone from style
They’re even on my black rubber boots;
Now when I see puddles, I wear a smile
I have one drawer for dressing up
Crammed with wigs and hats and gloves
I’ve kept one sweater that my mom bought
In blue, the colour that I love
Now second-hand clothes are my go-to
And my closet bursts at the seams;
It’s a battle to thin out my wardrobe
