Never Too Many (Poetry)

You can never have
too many pairs of
socks, spectacles or
gloves for they all share
a tendency to

walk — leave the drawer
or cupboard shelf where
habit has them live
and for no reason
slyly disappear ...

Socks desert their mate
run off — become odd
gloves drift or migrate
take the train or bus
five-finger puppets
signing their language

Spectacles — each pair
complete when alone
even so they seek
more kinds of their own
travel room to room

Wait there in a clutch —
a reading glass zoo
arms folded until
blinking and squinting
they’re spotted by you