at first her name was gabrielle

the way she used to stand for hours knotting threads into bracelets

intricate

why was everything teal and purple

dealing cards for snap

sleeping over on school nights

I will never forget how she stood up for jamie

for shannon

and for me

she'll always be my goalie

the one I'd rather loose a lung protecting

than let that CBA bitch take a shot on

she knows she's family to me

our alma maters are not just schools

they are nights at lourdes on the lake

late buses home with P

exit 45 on I90

bonfires and double sessions

freshman bio

cardinal costumes

we don't need a reunion

just plane tickets and time

like

when

I was in her new condo, sitting in her dining room

staring at the sketches on her wall

and I could see her

curls and a plaid jumper tole painting

she was always gifted

spray painting reader's digests folded like bells

when she could have perfectly shaded a still life

decades go by quickly

friends stay the same

there with me for the best

holding me for the worst

she'll have to deal with my sentimental heart for a lifetime

and we're just getting started