soul friend

from the writing prompt from OctPoWri:  Friendship

 

 

"And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.
For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed."  Kahlil Gibran

 

 

on a cold November night
a blanket of heaviness
and darkness
enveloped that house

i'd watched my friend
give in to the battle
let it carry her away
into a land of peace

away from the ducks
on the lake
the cranes that would return
in March

away from her beloved
the music, the laughter
all the things she loved
in this world

it was too much
for her body to take
I held her hand
when she flew away

i lost a friend
a heart-friend
who gave my heart joy
who wasn't afraid like me

moments later
you arrived
in charge
to take care of details

but first
a stranger
you enclosed me
in your arms 

for a moment
the rest of the world
would wait
while you paused

to see me
blanket me with grace
lift the burden of the night
just a little

for a moment
the night wasn't so cold
i wasn't alone
and i didn't have to stand

on my own strength

wordlessly
you comforted
understood
blessed my sorrow

that moment
is carved into my soul
forever
impossible to fade

and every time we laugh
every time we cry
every time we toast
to  life, to silliness, to sorrow

every time we stop the world
for a moment
to embrace
acknowledge each other

in the dailyness
and busyness
of the day
every time

i find a feather on my heart
from brushing against your wings
that no one else can see
and i am blessed 

baptized again
with peace, courage
and the mysterious eternal love
of a soul friend

november will never be
so cold
and death will never be
so frightening

now
that you
are here.