an ode to a tie.

I respect you because

wearing you

gives me respect.

You aren’t just

an accessory

or a required article

of clothing

for a job interview.

You’re more than

the missing piece

of a jigsaw puzzle.

You’re the definition

of dapper.

You droop down so elegantly

from my collar.

You come in

a wide variety of

shapes, styles, sizes:

a wool-knit skinny blue

with white stripes,

a madra medium sized green

with a gold tie clip,

and, of course,

the classic silk black.

I treat you

with utmost care

and delicacy.

Throwing a solid color

on a solid shirt

would be a demeaning action.

Seeing different patterns

and textures

come together is like

a chef’s signature dish

containing various flavors

to create the perfect taste.

There’s nothing like you

on my outfit that could ever

compliment everything

so sharply.