FRIENDSHIP'S MIRAGE

Are you my friend?
of course, you say!
Time drew us into spaces--
our spaces, our times...
and in love we grew---
yes, we grew.

You were stronger,
so much stronger than me.
and in desperation--
I tried to be strong for us.
I could not be the weaker of us---
Nor was I strong enough to be the stronger...
so I shadowed
and being the non opinionated one,
and i was
You taught this shadow well.

are you "my" friend?
I have a friend?
and in that shadow--
i grew strong.
i grew loving.
and i grew cautious...

But i stood beside you--
Rather than following any longer...
oh, how i love you---
how i care---
time, distance, and extreme circumstances--
threw us into circles,
that we could not prepare for,
that stopped leaving our spaces alone.

Are you still my friend?
my mirage is no longer strong enough to care...

winter 1993