- Clothes Make the Man -

By John Herlihy

Some people wear their clothing as though not their own;

The suit wears the man as though hand-me-downs sewn.

Some people wear their clothes like a close-fitting glove;

Everything folded in its place like the feathers of a dove.

The astute person will take note of his outfit and can tell

That the way he wears his clothing makes him feel well.

Crisp shirt, stiff collar, stylish tie all suggest a man on fire;

As he awakens in the morning, he is thinking of his attire.

Even as a child, he laid out tomorrow’s garb without haste,

As vestments of the priest laid out in the vestibule in place.

Cooling slacks of summer wool stately drape his lanky legs;

At the end of day, he hangs his garments on golden pegs.

Why even his accoutrements are awarded the utmost care;

Always the attention to detail that decides what he will wear.

A silver tie-clip fastens a wayward tie or does he wear gold;

The final picture relates a story that never before was told.

Known in harsh winter to don a woolen scarf round his neck;

No excuse, even in winter, to go about looking like a wreck.

Whoever said clothes make the man spoke something true ;

Whether milling about in a crowd or just waiting in a queue.

When standing naked, I don’t add up to one complete sum;

When fully dressed, I feel to be the person I always become.

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(c) John Herlihy January 2019