Darn!

Years ago, when socks had holes,
A housewife would start sewing.
She would try to nip that rip
Before it started growing.

Darning was a nifty skill
Among her many duties.
She’d mend all the clothes, from coats
To tiny baby booties.

Folks today don’t have the time
Or skill or inclination
To make repairs on clothing;
It’s not worth the aggravation.

So when a toe pokes through a hole,
Most people will not stitch it.
It’s easier, by far, to shrug it off
And simply ditch it.

It seems a waste, but after all
This life just overflows
With items that we use and toss –
That’s just the way it goes.

A housewife from the past
Would cluck her tongue and think it rash
To take a sock with one small hole
And toss it in the trash.

But that’s just what I did today;
And though I am aware
I could have darned that hole, instead
I’ll buy another pair!