It took
me a long time
to write of him
of flannel shirts
the red beret
Camel cigarettes
drinks in hand
and the infamous parties in the gazebo
He saved
me one night
with the story of the power of the moon
and so many other nights
walking arm in arm
knocking over garbage cans
stumbling home down quiet alleys
singing drunk and merrily
all the way home
and cruising all night
to places we'd never been
grand midnight adventures
before-
all the stupid arguments
parties missed
wasting time
without him
the craziest, most exciting person
I've ever known
a person who would never, ever
let boredom set in
constantly on the move
full of the energy of life
now gone
gone on to be mischievous
with new friends
somewhere
I can't be
Maybe if
I'd been there
that cruel, lonely night
on that dark road
in the middle of nowhere
it would have been different
I was always there
to make sure he didn't go
too far...
maybe...
maybe he'd be here now
laughing, drinking a beer
making me laugh
graduated from college-
his last, long awaited goal
maybe I would have realized
that he was the best friend
I ever had
Or maybe
he would have still burned out
too soon
like one of his famous bonfires
into the cool, night air
but not knowing
makes it even harder
to say
goodbye