A Written Shirt

Poem: A Written Shirt

In my wardrobe I have a written shirt
Of all the names I have been through
Past all these years
I may not liked where I went to
But to the people who went there
To this place
Where, when I see their names
Where our age was more or less all the same
I can remember each single face

I hope that I can keep those names in place
I hope that I can keep those names in my head
But I fear that I won't remember that person that I have once known or have once met
That I will forget all those names whom I was once with for so long instead

But I know what will make me remember
And that piece of remembrance is the shirt
Where I have had great times with friends
Where we have dragged ourselves right through to the end.

Signatures and good luck messages
With people whom I have been together
for so many years
That it is still hard to take in that the end is near
For so many of us as we move on to new experiences and different careers
And that fact alone makes it especially difficult to fight back the tears.

For some of us, if the end is here,
As we cross into different paths,
Then it is good bye and good luck.
If we are going to see each other again,
Then I'll see you soon underneath the pouring Scottish rain.

But I will let you know this truth

That that piece of white fabric with pen written letters is more than just a shirt.

In those very shirts
I have gone through years of blood, sweat, happiness, gratitude and dirt
Where I have experienced joy and elation, but also pain and hurt

From the years that have flown by
From first to last.
From all the way to the present to all the way back to the past,
The only quarrel that I have with these people is that I didn't know til now that things so good can end so fast.

Because that piece of white fabric is more than a shirt

It is a memory
It is a memorial to dedicate to all the people that for six years or more have been all around me
It is a tribute to all the people I have seen
Growing up to who they want to be
And to bear witness, especially when growing up beside them, was more than just an honor to see

And as we open the big wooden door,
And as our school chapter ends once we leave,
There always comes new beginnings.

Fear not, my friends
For it may be a sad time to go
Where we get our own places
And to find somewhere where we will know, we will call it; "Our Home"
But there are new places to explore
To places that we have never been
Into the unknown countries, the unknown cities and into the unknown streets

So many new people to meet
So many new people to know and love
A life to enjoy, to be entertained, to make it the life you've always wanted to lead
To take these chances, to turn them into everything we wanted, where it is right there for everyone to see
To dedicate your life to a never-ending fulfilment of happiness and everything you want it to be
And most importantly, always wear your heart on your sleeve.

That accounts for everyone.
That accounts for me.

Even if this is the end
Even if this is so
Always remember that shirt, with all those written names, wherever you go.

Author's Note

Let me know what you think of the poem, are there any problems, any improvements or how do you interpret the poem or even the key message in the poem and whether or not it hits it right at home for you.