Umbrellas

My very first umbrella
Was in gold and had my name;
When other ‘brellas passed me by,
Mine put them all to shame.

Though underneath its sturdy spokes
I felt both warm and dry,
That wasn’t why I got such smiles
From every passerby.

It was its honey color
And my name in curvy script;
It also had a ruffled edge
From whence the raindrops dripped.

So many years have passed
With new umbrellas in the rack,
Yet to this day I’ve never ever
Owned one that is black.

Umbrellas charcoal black are what
Most everybody has,
But every rainy day deserves
Both color and pizzazz.

Some people understand this and
Flaunt hues so bright and bold,
Or patterns or designs, to put
A gloomy day on hold.

My current favorite’s filled with hearts
In colors rich and deep;
And when in Ireland I bought
A snappy one with sheep.

No matter what umbrella
You may carry in the rain,
You have the opportunity
To cheer up the terrain.

Do not choose black, because
To old ideas you will be clingin’ –
Unless you’re like Gene Kelly,
And you plan to do some singin’!