Yearnings
The faintest touch
Butterfly wings
Brings
Into existence into reality
Links that never would be
Had he
Not taken the bus that day
Or from work she did stay
Home
Instead
To shop
Or pop
Into stores
With errands and chores
Roam department store floors
Seeing that person
From where do I know
Church work school
Neighborhood
Swimming
Soccer
Football
orchestra
Various clubs
Boards
Where have I seen her before
The glimpse
The blink has passed
Yet the footprint remains in the sand
On the edge of the shore
The thought
Hovering there
Waiting in limbo
For an assignment
A compartment
Limbo’s a terrible place to be
Connected but not
A life continuously fraught
With an eventual loss
That guilts sweeps in when
A moment catches unaware
We dare
To allow a smile or laugh
To permeate the grief of an impending loss
God puts everyone everything in our life
For a reason
Regardless of season
Of fleeting
Or undeviating
Each connection is an indelible mark
We are conductors of electrical charges
Players even in the margins
Observers as intrinsically involved as the troupe
With the moves
Of others
She was in a class I took
Just me and the kids
Snap fingers nod head
Divorce counseling years ago
In the group barely know
That one is put to rest
But again God urges lest
I forget
Book store wandering through
Looking for something to give to
A friend
Time with me is at its end
Moving as we all seem to do
How to convey how much she means
To me
A book of poetry
Soft singsong whimsical friendship verses
Culinary morsels for those with a cooking flair
How about a ticket back
Place them all back on the rack
The dark cloud enshrouds the missions now
Memories of times shared
Sitting in the car
Sharing stories of times long ago
First glimpses of vulnerability and acceptance
Knowing glance
Of understanding new depths reached
Angry hurtful remarks
Sincere apology not needed
But agreed
With gratitude
The quilt is not complete without all the squares
No matter how threadbare
A square ripped from its place leaving shreds
Threads reaching for its rightful place
Hanging in space
Waiting
For the return of part
So vital to the whole
To the hole in the heart
It seems so cruel
To see the tears of a broken heart
As the leaving threatens to tear apart
The very life force it did impart
Trying to find something that can show
The abstract force when a friendship grows
Snail pace or giant leaps
The hearts reap
A mountain a heap
Of glorious gifts that can’t be seen
Joy laughter secrets grief
Share sustain support relief
Amazing that someone could sweep
And seep
So much into your being
That removal is excruciating
Kids seem to know
The value
Of a friend held close
Assimilating by wearing like clothes
Acquiring the others endearing moves
Pulling hair back tie with bows
Inflections in voice almost too close
Talk on the phone every day
Trying to stay
Figure a way
To be in each others’ presence
For absence
Is in this case tragic
No fondness growing
Just a mind numbing slowness of time
Until reunion
So many put masks of indifference
Untouched by heartfelt matters
Turnstile friendships
No investment
No loss
No damage done
Wondering if one
Can hear the party the noise the fun
From inside the box
Does it shatter the barrier
Or fortify more
Emotionless not the big score
Denying ignoring
Doesn’t remove reality
Eyes closed it still be
Cutting others off at the knees
Arms length
Cold shoulder
Three feet circumference
Barrier protection from involvement
Break through
I beg of you
Nothing ventured nothing gained
No joy no pain
Reach out
Maybe slapped
Flinch pull back
But try again don’t withdraw
Eventually what you wish for
Will be
All you desire
Will transpire
Not retire
From your cramping open arms
The charm
Of friendship