suits pressed best

In olden days 
a man would press 
his suit of woo 

and that was it. 

She'd yay or nay,
or play the coy
coquette, try on 
and suit to fit.

Or cast it off, 
and split!  

If she 
did not say
yes, her damn
support network
would bear in hard:
in pointing out that

she's unwed.

A most disgraceful 
term of art. 

Nowadays of course, 
the man who'd press 
his suit of woo on you 

must swear his affidavit 
out and file all his papers 
true - subpoena comes!
Soon you're dragged in 
to sit with hand on book 
and swear.

There stands the man.
To question you: 
"Be thou my wife!" 

You cock your head 
and wink: "For life! 
So there!" 

Or else, you know, you could
just toss that damn subpoena -
laugh sideways! A summons to 
the court of love has no real
power, nowadays.