Dear Friend,

 

I hope you are well,

I hope you still latch to lethargic 

Days, stretched elastically aimless

Winter–a fogged memory,

A lifetime ago

 

What have you been up to?

 

I miss feeling my backbone

Once a pirate, a warrior, a leader

Determined to determine the day

Confidence your mother tongue

 

Have you made any friends?

 

I miss looking at the world

Squeaky-clean and unfamiliar

With freshly packaged faces

Carving a smile in your own

 

How do you feel?

 

Sucking on a sweet reward

Dressed in diligent costume

A consolation prize devoured 

But guilt now rots in my mouth

If I indulge in extravagance

 

Who do you want to be?

 

Crying over a scraped knee

You hurry to mom for help

Met with a hug and a band-aid 

But tears now struggle to stream

A sign of weakness, a lingering bruise

 

Search for fairies in the flowers, please

Before they succumb to their wasply form

Stinging and staining though they once tickled

 

With love,

Your friend, always