Brad's Shirt

It smells like the wind,

like the woods,

like the dog.

There is a hole in the front pocket,

a tear in the seam.

It used to be his shirt,

but somehow we ended up with it.

It has a little bit of mud

splattered up the back

from the bike race

through the giant puddle in the driveway.

It has shoveled snow.

It’s been caught in the rain,

faded by the sun.

it’s a good hide-and-seek partner

for the youngest one.

It is navy blue with red stripes

running vertically and horizontally.

A guard from the burrs,

from the straw she loves to play in.

It doubles as a pillow at the fair,

a cushion on the puppy’s bed.

It has fed calves,

checked traps,

fallen off the log and into the river below.

Doubling as a washrag,

it has cleaned brand new shoes

so mom doesn’t get upset. 

It is not just a piece of cloth,

it has been through almost as much as we have.