In two days he fills the hamper again
with multiple pairs of khakis and briefs
tee-shirts socks hoodies and pjs
I wonder if he’s living out some fantasy of royalty
pressed to change his costume through the day:
khakis and a tee when he wakes for work
shorts and a sweat-wicking tee to the gym
sweats and a hoodie on the way home
and pjs after his shower—
no, not yet, more khakis and a button shirt
hanging open with a casual turn of cuffs
(Louie would have been impressed!) for an evening date—
then his pjs

Is he one of those teens who tries on three shirts
before settling and then leaves the two rejects
on the dresser top in a wad and inside out
which he later classifies as “dirty”?
Is he just keeping me engaged in his apparel
to distract me from his growing autonomy?  Nah—

I remind myself as I pair socks and crease denim
he is a teen and soon enough he will manage his own
laundry—halleluiah!—on some kind of schedule
likely not so frequent as this
but maybe before his closet is entirely emptied