There’s the surface, and then the truth
Skipping rocks on water
With the daughter of my parents’ friends
Vacations
Celebrations
Backyard Barbecues
Barbies sprinklers
Long walks
Swimming and bike rides to nowhere
Superficial
Convenient
Allowed
We were best friends because there was no
Other words to describe a dynamic
For the most part
Beyond our control
She would not show up for me
And there’s the truth then
Of how I grew up
With with unnamed group of friends
Who did show up for me
Regularly
Three guys on BMX bikes
My true best friend, in retrospect
Always in the midst of the others
Or by himself
I still see you
Days full of skateboards
Basketball
BMX tricks
Blaring the music as the balls bounced
And the wheels rolled
Doorbell ringing with the group asking me
“Can you play, there’s a pick up game at the courts?”
My game was solid
Daily shooting
Free throw
3-pointer
Half court
Layup
I’m on my way
We couldn’t say
Back then
With so much skin in the game
That we were best friends
We never had to say it
This was written on the court
Written in the music
Written on the pavement
Written in skinned knees
Written on scraped shoulders
Written on wheelies
Written on sweet passes
Scored on backboards
Written into the sum of who I was
The acceptance of the group
The truth of it
Under the surface
Those guys saved me over and over
When they showed up
And showed up
And showed up
Swish
