Friends like these
Travel well,
And if you listen closely
To the stories they tell,
You'll learn the meaning of friendship.

For many decades
They've been together,
Through marriage, divorce,
And stormy weather,
And yet, it is of the triumphs that you will hear.

Above all else,
They speak of the children,
The jewels of their lives,
Their accomplishments are golden,
For they are the songs that hit every note.

But now they're all grown,
Every seed has been lovingly sown,
And grandkids dot the landscape.
They are the new joys,
Destined to be spoiled with toys,
And Grandma's precious time.

And so I observe,
As I've always done,
How you've traversed through the years,
And you're still having fun,
And sisters, have the friends become.

Their bodies are bruised,
But their spirits are strong.
There is a gleam in their eyes,
And they know they belong,
Within the shared legacy that they've wrought.

Walkie-talkies at the flea-market,
So they don't miss a deal,
Wine on the table,
For they won't miss a meal,
And no moment of their lives is forsaken.

And the laughter erupts,
As the waiter passes by,
He's been pinched on the butt,
But doesn't know why,
Mischievous grins are all that he sees.

And so you see, as we round the bend,
That friendship like this,
Can never end.
It is the ease that we feel,
In the evening breeze,
When we treasure our days,
With friends like these.

For my Mom and her lifelong pals: Janie, Shirley, Joan, Judy, and Sue Dell.

The pleasure has been all mine.

September 9, 2004