vampsinthe78

Trust me to find out about poetry Wednesday on a friday.. Ah well.. better late than never...
My Grandfather wrote this after losing a friend: Oct '74

Living for self, is a crime unforgivable.
Man's very nature cries out to be shared.
Sharing a friendship makes living more livable.
Life had no meaning 'til somebody cared.
One you can take to, and know that you matter to.
One who can help you face up to your fears.
Oh, but it's good to have soemone to chatter to.
Listen to, laugh with, and even share tears.

Every good friend knows a bit of psychology.
When to be lively, and when to be still.
Always prepared to accept our apology.
No harm intended so there's no ill-will.
Sometimes a friendship you chose, oh so cannily,
Turns round and flies, with the first wind that blows.
Sometimes, a friend who's like one of the family,
Started as someone who nobody chose.

Friends are the folk who dug deep, and discovered us.
Making us feel we're somebody swell.
Sometimes, they know more of us than a lover does.
But, like the confessional, they never tell.
Acting as watchdogs, when tempers are smouldering,
Thinking of ways of preserving the cool.
Could be, their no-nonsense-straight-from-the-shouldering,
Might just prevent us from acting the fool.

Losing a friend is like losing a part of us.
Part of our lives no-one else can replace.
So many memories, deep in the heart of us,
Keep resurrecting that same friendly face.
Life without friends, would be food without seasoning,
Cloth without selvage, so many loose ends,
Tales without plots. And no rhyme. And no reasoning.
Down on our knees, we should thank God for friends.

Thomas Syddall

EDIT: S'quiet on 'ere innit?? Mind you, it IS bank holiday weekend and the Leeds/Reading festival ARE happening right now... Sniff... See you all when you get back from wherever you be!