Strange Friend Neither impatient nor loud He was very easy to ignore, at first. But he made himself felt In the deep of my gut, Not content, after all, in the shadows, Where he lurked Unseen by most But not by me. If I could not ignore him Perhaps I could know him. Make a friend of this friendless stranger. The friendless are eager To be friended. So now I have this nameless friend A friend for #life, he likes to say. He drapes himself about me And listens with both ears So patiently. So patient. But my new friend is jealous As new friends sometimes are. I must turn old friends away Even show my love the door. My friend has made it clear There’s room for only one— Including me. Now that no one’s left From the #life I’ve left behind My friend declares it time For dreaming. My friend is wise By closing them, my eyes are opened. The morning light springs hope eternal. But horizon light is setting sun My tunnel’s end has come Hope falls eternal. If I knew his name was death I did not know I knew it. And it can’t be said I did not choose To not know What I should have. That the friendless Are friendless For cause. And the bliss of ignorance Is no bliss At all.