My Best Friend Doesn'T Speak English
I have a best friend.
He doesn't speak English, but
He lets me ask him anything-
He's got big brown eyes that watch
As the world goes by like falling stars-
He just watches, always watches...
He's too warm for North American winter,
Shrinks from snowballs like firecrackers,
But then we go for ice cream, eat it
Walking in the park-
We complain about how cold we are
But love the taste of the open air
Too much to go back to the car yet...
Besides, maybe he's only a little
Taller than I am, but he's still
Big enough to shield me from
The worst of the wind chill-
He seems bigger here, somehow,
Taller among the trees...
I ask him what he dreams of,
He says, "De Guatemala."
I ask him what he dreams;
He tells me about the coa-coa trees,
Orange trees, mango, tangerine...
How he lived by a river,
Went swimming every day
Since it was always summer-
Tells me until my head is full
Of so much color that I wonder
How he can stand the oppressive
Weight of so much of gray...
It's been gray for so long, here...
He tells me how when he's sad
He always comes to the park
Because the trees feel like peace.
I ask him why he gets sad-
He says sometimes, he misses home,
But sometimes he doesn't know...
But that's okay-
Sometimes neither do I...
My best friend and I decide
To come to the park
Together more often.
Copyright © Cameron Hartley | Year Posted 2014
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