The Inklings challenge for this month came from Heidi, who encouraged us to write a poem of address to an article of clothing. After auditioning several ideas, I settled on my old friend Barn Coat. We’ve been through many winters together, and I know we’ve got many more yet to go.
Here’s how the rest of the Inklings met this month’s challenge:
Molly @Nix the Comfort Zone
Margaret @Reflections on the Teche
Linda @A Word Edgewise
Heidi @my juicy little universe
Catherine @Reading to the Core
Irene has this week’s Poetry Friday roundup at Live Your Poem.
Interested in hosting a Poetry Friday roundup in January – June 2026? The signup is here.
A(nother) Year of Reading 
Coat Gal, Mary Lee, I feel your Barn pal is brightens each season she coats you. Fun sweet poem. And thanks for the host calendar. I’ll put in my fix for 1/2 of 2026! With more appreciations. Your fan, JAN
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I love this! Heidi’s prompt has reminded me that clothes carry so many memories! This looks like an LL Bean coat. I used to have one in red, too. (Where did that go?) I have my mother’s old long wool dress coat. I didn’t wear it for years, and years (decades probably), and finally one I day I put it on and found her handkerchief in the pocket. Your “pockets full of treasure” reminded me of that and other pocket discoveries. The structure of your poem is perfect and really, it would make a fabulous picture book. What a lovely tribute to your coat.
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Yup. LL Bean!
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I love the rhythm of this poem. I could almost sing it. I changed the challenge person to Heidi on my blog post. Missing the meeting on Sunday threw me off a bit.
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Mary Lee, I LOVE this poem. Reminds me of a purple corduroy coat I loved for many years and still dream of replacing. xo
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Great rhythm, Mary Lee! I ended feeling very attached to your old Barn Coat, too. 🙂 Something that takes care of you for years is a friend indeed.
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Your tribute to your barn coat reminds me of a faded green coat one of my grandfathers wore. He mended it with string, and now I wonder why! Maybe it was handy for it and other needs? You’ve brought my memories with your poem, Mary Lee, the love shines through so much, and I expect your memories, too! It’s wonderful!
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Love your poem. Rhythm reminded me of Seuss’s “one fish two fish . . . ” I think I need to give my old purple corduroy coat some love this weekend. 🙂
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Love the rhythm in your poem, Mary Lee. You and your coat have been through a lot together, just like old friends. I feel the love.
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Praise song to a steadfast friend, and may they accompany you to the end, delivering treasures each year when you put it on for the first time! (Actually that makes me want to pack things away with deliberate surprises in the pockets…) I also love the structure and rhythm and I might just copy it!
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I love this, Mary Lee. These clothing poems have me thinking.
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I loved that barn coat just from the photo –before I even read the poem! A years-long relationship with a piece of clothing feels like home.
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I adore this poem, Mary Lee! Some clothes do feel like old friends when we slip into them.
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Love it, Mary Lee. Years ago someone stole my barn coat at work!
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