In the month of October on a cool, cloudy afternoon, At the corner of my street, I first met my friend June. The month she was born in is the name she was given, Like the season of summer she made life worth living. She held the warmth of sunshine and was in life's full bloom, While she blindly shadowed the others as she entered a room. We instinctively knew we were of the same heart, Our friendship was sealed right from the start. The strong tie that bound us I'd rather not share, But in each others company we let go of the care. We were two women who divinely needed each other, Erasing the lonely absence of sisters and brothers. We often sat on a couch talking and laughing the hours away, While not far from our knees our children would play. To soothe our spirits we lamented the hardships of life, Safely baring our secrets of being a mother and wife. To her I confessed errors in judgment and what I had lost, She listened with compassion and lessened the cost. She had a smile that glowed with eyes big and round, Her presence was gentle, her love knew no bounds. She was grand in her stature and even grander in spirit, A heart tender with truth others longed to be near it. Her head had been crowned with locks of strawberry hair, But under her hat it was no longer there. Deep in my soul I knew our time together might be cut short, So I wished, prayed and pleaded for the mercy of life's court. I secretly hoped friendship's love would aid her body to heal, Thereby I toiled my hands bringing many gifts and cooking meals. I tried in vain to blind my eyes to the writing on the wall, That there would be no magic brew to mend her from the fall. As time passed she accepted her fate with the most amazing grace, Planning her afterlife to mock the emergence of death's face. She asked me questions for which no earthly answer I could give, Like why do good men die and those who hurt children live. She had me scour book shelves to find the proper way to die, And bemoaned there was little help and did not fathom why. The last time I saw her she was in ailment's deep sleep, Looking like an angel who God himself would keep. I could not say hello and I could not say good bye, To bid her soul farewell was all that I could try. Before my eyes our friendship was ending in a rapid blur, Soon the aching absence in my life would have no balm or cure. So in the month of December shortly after the sun did rise, My dear friend June eternally closed her suffering eyes. Emerging thoughts of our shared moments are often pushed aside, To this day, the carousel of memories I find too hard to ride. How often do we make a friend who is sincere and truly nice? In this life if we are lucky-MAYBE once or twice. _________________________________________________________________________ Dedicated to my friend June who would ignore my poetic illiteracy and embrace the sentiment. The loss has yet to lessen. And also to those who have lost a good friend or loved one, whether it be death or a mere absence of their company, may the spirit of our hearts comfort each other. *************************************************************************