For A Little While

I went outside alone one day 
And found you in an old tree’s shade. 
Your skin was soft, your eyes were grey. 
You never spoke until I spoke. 

I almost didn’t see you there 
Beneath your mass of messy hair. 
You moved as quietly as the air. 
You just barely caught my eye. 

But I was desperate for a friend 
And you didn’t mind my talking and 
I guess that you liked to pretend 
You knew just what I meant. 

I told you I was all alone, 
No one to play with, nowhere to go. 
You said, “I bet you didn’t know 
That I’ll always be here.” 

A smile flickered ‘cross your face 
I’d never thought of it that way 
We decided then that we would play. 
But my mother called me in. 

Without a warning you were gone. 
I had no choice but to move on, 
I said I’d come back before long. 
So much we’d yet to do. 

And as you promised, when I came, 
Again, I found you in the shade, 
No hesitation, our minds were made 
And off we ran to play. 

You showed me how to climb a tree, 
Of course, I’d fall and scrape my knee, 
But then you’d say so pleasantly, 
“You’ve got to try again.” 

And when the snow had fallen down, 
And it was cold, we didn’t go out. 
Instead I led you to my house 
Where we would play for hours. 
 
I showed you all the things I liked. 
You never cried, you never whined. 
In fact, I’m thinking you and I, 
We never disagreed. 

And I remember all those times 
When we were scared out of our minds, 
But we’d hold hands, walk side by side, 
And you would help me through.

Those nights when I was tucked in bed 
And told to rest my sleepy head 
You would appear and we instead 
Would talk beneath the quilts. 

You were the greatest friend to me. 
You always knew just what I’d need, 
And you could oh, so, easily 
Make me laugh and smile. 

Our playing, it was pure delight, 
But as the years moved swiftly by, 
I guess that it was hard to find, 
The time to spend with you. 

I found a hundred other ways 
To spend those hazy summer days, 
But surely that is not to say 
That I’d forgotten you. 

Our visits simply grew less long, 
The time between didn’t seem so hard, 
But you didn’t seem upset at all. 
Just smiled when I came by. 

Your grey eyes grew a little dim, 
Whiter and paler became your skin, 
But your disposition never did 
Seem to dampen at all. 

And growing up, I found my way 
A little taller every day. 
With other kids I liked to play. 
You slowly disappeared. 

But sitting now under this tree 
My mind is brought to you and me 
The great adventures that we’d seen 
And all the years since then. 

You stayed close by when I was scared, 
You played when no one else was there 
And now I’ve grown, you’ve gone somewhere, 
But that’s the natural trend, 

 For imaginary childhood friends.