a torn t-shirt
I’m too fond of
to use as a rag
champion sweatpants
a little worse for wear
and those old scuffs
my housekeeper Fatma
shakes her head at
each time she cleans the soles
this my uniform at home
I often wonder
what I would wear
if someone came to call
but luckily
I don’t invite anyone
except Ali
who knows me 23 years
and used to see me
at work
in a tie
those still hang
in my closet
like some ribbons
from a long ago war
I happily retired from