Silk Shirt Poem by Raghurama Raju

My silk shirt
White and shiny
Ironed and creaseless
Made five and thirty years ago
For my marriage-
Now it hangs there
At the end of the bar
In my ward robe
Apart but distinct!

In the middle of my youth,
At the end of my middle age,
I tried to wear it again!
But I dared not
People would think that
I was trying to look young!

Again -
I tried to put it on
On my recent marriage day!
But the shrunk shirt by
Didn't fit well on my body!

One Summer morning, in disgust,
I wanted to throw it into garbage
But could not!
It smelt of my youth!