Homage

you shared all of
your favorite toys,

best pal
toes touching, sand sifting,
heads bent hot
smell of salt-sting
bury the sea

you filled out before me
showed me, told me, taught me
and we laughed
shameless

your hand always had my back
holding me up
reaching around
hooking through
brushing off
a hair
a bug
insecurity
harshness

"It'll be ok, honey"
you would say,
"It'll all be ok."

I still wonder what you saw
if you knew

that you saved me

wonder sometimes if
I used it all up,
all of your

way

classic and tender,
accepted instantly, my quirky,
uncooked freedom heart,
you just wanted me,
to love

me

my hope is to grow,
to engage fate,
fingerstepping
every single memory,
paying homage to
my beautiful friend

whose voice, I still
hear speaking
now and then

To anyone who might have a friend they'd still, gladly drink Kool-aide with.
Word of the Day Series