He is resting <br />In a comfortable Library chair <br />With his boots and jacket on <br />His backpack is nearby <br /> <br />He's reading today's paper <br />And has three plastic covered <br />Magazines stacked on the floor <br />To read next <br /> <br />He's in from the cold and rain <br />He's in where it's warm and dry <br />He's been to the men's room to <br />Wash himself and his socks and shorts <br /> <br />Wrapped in a plastic bag <br />He'll dry them later <br />Now he's trying to get his boots to dry <br />They're damp and well worn <br /> <br />They are not worn out <br />Just like him <br />They are well worn <br />They've covered many miles <br /> <br />He's worked in them <br />He's slept in them <br />To keep warm and to see <br />That they are not stolen <br /> <br />Where do you put your shoes at night? <br />Under you bed? In your closet? <br />It's been a long time <br />Since he's had either <br /> <br />How do you <br />Keep your feet from freezing <br />In the long hard-frost winter nights? <br />How do you keep warm? <br /> <br />If you'd never had to worry <br />You wouldn't appreciate <br />The warm dry Library chair <br />That gives his boots a rest<br /><br />Tom J. Mariani<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/july-1-2009-giving-his-boots-a-rest/
