friendship

we were joined
at the hips my friend from
the fourth grade.
both freckled
with cow licks.
small and lean, down
the halls,
down
the hills going home.
studying together.
we dressed alike as
if twins.
talking girls
and sports, always
on the same team,
in the same
games.
into high school and
college,
those years of carousing,
confiding.
driving into the late night
with other friends,
young and pondering,
this world we were
born into. then
in each other's weddings.
then to work, or war.
which ended that.