The poem “The Coat” by John L. Ruth tells the story of a boy who was given his grandfather’s coat. At first the boy loves the coat but after some time, he becomes irritated by the coat and gives it away. Although the title may be an allusion to the “coat of many colors” mentioned in the book of Genesis, this poem can be applied to all religions and other beliefs that are passed down from one generation to the next. The coat in the poem symbolizes tradition. The first line of the poem is “Once my grandmother gave me a coat.” Ancestors can give traditions to the next generations. Later in the first stanza, the narrator says “There’s some good use left in this coat.” By saying this, the narrator is showing is fondness of the tradition and how