I wrote this for some dear friends of mine...chiefly Ryouko, Nobi, Marisa, and Tabby. This is unedited, unchecked...I'm no poet...I just needed to get some thoughts out.

~*~

We knew each other for so short a time
That when I first saw you
I wondered if I had ever really known you at all.
Your voice (I can't recall now)
Different from my imagination
But still sweet to my ears.
You made me feel like I belonged.
In that happy knot of chaos,
We danced
And sang, even knowing there were people laughing
You who seemed to know so well, these people
You had never met
Had never met me, and yet you knew me
Or pretended you did, and made me feel safe.
One short, sweet day--not even
I left you far too often
Trying to do too much at once,
And when I returned you had changed again.
We sat together, laughed together
Joked together at Glyde's expense (I won't forget)
And though the hours we spent
Were only a fraction of our lives--somehow I knew you
And you me.

I linger here, having just left you--
Minutes ago, a month
And an eternity ago
And all I have is photos and a memory of your smile.

Keep it safe, until next time.