Most Treasured, Oldest Friend

Sometimes you are beautiful and I can see wisdom in your eyes beyond your years.

Sometimes you disgust me and nothing you could say would deign to tempt my ears.

I have been known to smile and frown and lean on you and dote upon you greatly,

and, alas, I also confess to forgetting you and neglecting you too much lately,

but it is not the first time I have left you willy nilly in my kicked up party dust

and if we are honest, and we need to be, it won't be the last time, but I must

begin to consider carefully how to treat you as my most important, most treasured, oldest friend.

I see you no longer bounce back so well from painting, or high writing night's late end

and in ignoring your needs, callously putting my creations first as I so often do

I am damaging myself as much as I am hurting you

So I resolve to try to treat you kinder

If you promise now to be my reminder

That what I see in you is essential indeed

because the mirror says, in fact, that you are me.

Kathy Adams