A Friend by Loretta Anthony Back

A Friend

A friend is the echo that stays when you fall,
The voice in the quiet that answers your call.
Not just in the sunshine or moments of cheer,
But present in shadows, steady and near.

A friend knows your silence, reads lines on your face,
Understands when you need time, or simply some space.
A friend doesn’t rush your healing or soften the truth,
A friend honours your scars and remembers your youth.

Through changing seasons and roads that divide,
A friend remains constant, a calm, trusted guide.
A friend grows as you grow, bends, but doesn’t break,
And gives without counting the risks he or she takes.

In a world that can shift without reason or sign,
A friend is a promise, unspoken, but kind.
Not perfect, not endless, yet honest and true
A rare kind of magic that walks beside you.

By Loretta Anthony