UNFASHIONABLE STATEMENT
 
He looked smashing in the new black shirt.
We're both such schleps (and proud of it).
He explained, I bought it for a funeral
for sixty five bucks. Holy money!
He's already drowning in debt.
I instructed:  return the shirt pronto.
When the clerk asks the reason, simply state,
I needed to dress for mourning, then heard
that the deceased believes in eternal life. 
Say this, even if you're unsure about the hearsay,
the tenet, or both.  Even if you're slightly
mendacious, it is simply inarguable that
white lies go best with black suits.
Now then, take the dough and invest in
several impressive-looking books instructing
in matters of everlasting life:  its logistics,
how-to's, exultations. Never don black again.
Until it's your turn.  Books can be little coffins
cranked out by white or black-garbed gurus.

Julianza K. Shavin 2009