Written for my Class of '84 (40-year class reunion). |
Old School Friends Are Forever Looking back to the very beginning at the ticking hands on the clock. On the merry-go-round, we all went spinning, and the teacher read Hickory Dickory Dock. We were all like brothers and sisters, having squabbles, joy, laughter, and tears. There were no thoughts of sad tomorrows, or of aging and passing of years. There were teachers we all looked up to as we learned and went on field trips. While they taught us, we know their mistakes were few, and they only spoke kindness from their lips. At the games, we watched in excitement as the boys were putting up hoops. The girls served the volleyball over the net, and the cheerleaders cheered in a group. There were parades with trumpets a blasting as we marched down Main Street in the band. We sang songs in music class, everlasting. Looking back, we all seemed hand-in-hand. I know there were moments of heartbreak, arguments, and that kind of stuff. But through it all we stayed good friends, and nothing was all that rough. At graduation, we all departed. Some moved away, while others did not. I may only be soft-hearted but it feels like we never left that spot. With Facebook, we now have regathered, and we seem to have made amends between those of us who departed and those who stayed there, with friends. These days, we are all a bit older with wrinkles and some with less hair. Arthritis makes the cold feel colder but none of us seem to care. Right now, we have trouble coping with the loss of old friends that we love. I guess we were all just hoping for some miracle from above. That maybe we might live forever, make jokes and continue to dance. We all know it’s a large endeavor, and honestly, we don’t have a chance. It’s my hope we can all stay connected, touch base, and care with our hearts, so, we won’t feel so terribly affected when the next one of us departs. This poem was requested by one of my old and forever school friends. It was written In Memory of all of our classmates lost (now and in the future) who were in the Clearwater High School, Class of 1984. |