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(Brian Johnston speaks to Lora Colon)  

Getting older don't you wonder 
What your life is all about? 
Wages earned don't leap to haunt me 
Like my dreams of fighting trout - 
Lightning flash and splashing thunder 
Writhe inside my reverie. 

Poem's birth a new obsession 
Like a weed fighting for life, 
Rooted in imagination, 
Married to soul like a wife. 
A genetic new expression, 
Your child, not an alien! 

Moment when you felt Christ call you, 
Knew His presence was divine, 
Youthful dream mysterious now, 
What was certain in decline, 
Adult wisdom leans toward doubt too, 
Truth just one more sacred cow. 
  
Life that once flowed like a river, 
Froths now like enamored stream, 
Still the rock called death eludes you, 
Though it manifests in dream, 
Specter that still makes you shiver, 
Cold moon, crystal ball you view! 

Love a flow'r but will it open - 
Like a parachute, unknown, 
Only earth impact is certain, 
Like a feather, like a stone, 
Accident waiting to happen, 
Morning paper's bulletin. 

Lessons, fertile fields before us, 
Student's lives the ones that shine, 
Possibilities we shoulder, 
Morning light, day's valentine, 
Heaven's music, angel's chorus, 
Bring another kind of tear.

-Brian Johnston


(Lora Colon responds to Brian Johnston)  

Dear fellow traveler, do you feel lost, 
Are you still searching for the way? 
Then take my hand and come with me, 
It's the start of a brand new day; 
Are you bewildered by life's purpose? 
I have some good news for you, 
And I'll be glad to share it now, 
But there's something you must do

Forget what you've learned and start again, 
Old thoughts never served you well, 
You're left wondering, asking for proof, 
Creating fears you'll never quell; 
So, weary traveler, open your mind, 
Just consider all the views, 
Your mind will sort through all the facts, 
And your heart will help you choose

Embrace friendships, bask in their beauty, 
Take life's gifts and hold them near, 
Treasure this life, and its mysteries, 
Don't let death overwhelm you with fear; 
Reach out for love, and never let go, 
In life's quest, love is the key, 
Look skyward, it lives in the firmament, 
Its beauty reflects in the sea

I implore you to think of the present, 
We're the guardians of this gate, 
This life, this moment here in time
Will be lost if you hesitate; 
You're passing through here just this one time, 
Take all the gifts that you see, 
But look with your heart, as well as your eyes, 
Don't be concerned with eternity

Someday you'll thank me, dear traveler, 
When you're taking your last breath, 
You focused on life, this precious gift, 
And thought less of life after death; 
And if there's an afterlife, you'll know, 
Don't let it cause you distress, 
This time here and now is for certain, 
What comes after is anyone's guess

-Lora Colon

Brian Johnston & Lora Colon
Early January 2015

Poets' Notes: 
'Friends Speak' is one of several Echo Poems you can find by me on PoemHunter.com. The first half of this poem was written by me and the second half was written my long time poet friend on PoemHunter Lora Colon. In her poem Lora responds to the emotional impact that my poem had on her. 

An 'Echo Poem' for me is quite different from a 'Poem en Duo' (of which there are also several examples on this site). A 'Poem en Duo' is when two (or  more) poets viewing the same mountain, write a poem about it, and then discover each other's poem after the fact. This 'discovered poem' is then published under a new title which emphasizes the poem's similarities.

Whereas an 'Echo Poem' is more an emotional response to a poem that has already been written by another poet (whether friend or stranger). A new title for the combined poems can sometimes highlight or add meaning to what is echoed.
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