Did we ever have friends later on
Like the ones we had when we were tweens?
They’d pester, poke, cut us to the bone
Derided, made fun, laughed til they bust
Pushed, shoved, chased, trip set to make us fall
But raced to rescue; our win—their must
Scabs recognized, honored, each one seen
Blind gazers, no wounds could they recall
Like our friends felt when we were tweens
Heard our groans, knew each other’s worst fear
Cocked mirror, hid us, only they saw
Our deep aches; prayed our pangs disappear
Life sped by; tween friends now not around
Our new friends—mere acquaintances, all
Not like old tween friends, six feet in ground
Yearn for those tween friends, lost and alone
Sundown nears, my faint shadow shrinks small
Did we ever have friends later on
Like the ones we had when we were tweens?
-JOE COBB CRAWFORD