Family Ties

A mother sent her son a box,
Her husband's ties inside.
They ranged from subtle narrow stripes
To paisleys, very wide.

He stuck them in a closet where
They sat for many years,
But finding them again seemed to
Engage his thinking gears.

"I'll wear a tie each day," he thought
And told his artist friend,
Who captured them in paint
Right from the start until the end.

He wondered as he wore each one
Just how his father felt
At work, at home and how he liked
The hand that he was dealt.

Each different pattern placed him in
His dad's shoes for a day.
Some ties were stained and one was burned - 
How did they get that way?

He wore them all and at the end
He boxed them up again
Including, too, a tie of his,
For when his sons are men.

Perhaps they'll wear them once, as well
Or maybe they'll get tossed
But hopefully, some memories
Will last and not get lost.