My friend reminds me of summer
He smells of fresh cut grass
And clean air
A mosaic
Blue sky and clouds
Wildflower meadows
Cold running streams
He is warm and musical
Kind and funny
But his eyes are sometimes sad
He has the biggest heart
And tries and strives to be and do
So much for so many
He often forgets to account for himself
I think there is a hole
Deep inside
His heart seeks to fill
And somedays he is lonely
Even when he is not alone
He gives the best hugs
and tells the best jokes
He is patient when I am an idiot
Which sometimes is a lot
He is kind when I am afraid
Which happens more
Than I like to admit
He is just as mortal and vulnerable
As anyone else
He doesn’t hide from it
It becomes his strength
He stands boldly
In the face of harsh challenges
alone
Like a superhero or maybe a myth
Few men have the will to try
It’s funny to watch
The people scurry by him
As if
He is untouchable and unknowable
Titles can be a cruel endowment
For people with good hearts
All
I see
When I look at him
Creative passionate soul
Big hearted
Knucklehead
Little boy
Emperor king
A man of complex nature
A man of contrasts
Light and dark and rainbow prisms
Soul and funk and jazz
A perfectly unique recipe
For a man
My friend