My Lover, My Friend

My lover, my friend is a poem about setting “the essence of love” free and allowing it to become what it was destined to be. When you are young you want love to last forever. One never thinks about the possibility of lives and friendships changing. One tends to believe that somehow love causes time to stand still and that everything existing at that moment will not ever change. That somehow you will find yourself mesmerized within a magical bubble that will cause that love one to never want to leave.

But, as one grows older one realizes that ambitions, desires, jobs, long distance, and numerous other things can come between lovers. I’ve learned over the years that sometimes it’s meant for you to fall in love only for a season and then those feelings may change or dissipate without rhyme or reason.

Years ago when we first met, I portrayed the impression of being a freedom loving, untamed spirit that had desires of coming and going with a whim. One day while sharing our love for poetry, I read him Richard Bach’s lyrics that are shown to the right. As our love grew, my friend gave me a beautiful plaque of a flying dove engraved with his own words that said,

“If you really love someone, you must be able to set them free…

If she or he returns to you, then it was meant to be…”

Now years later, I reminisce about a time in my life when I had great fun, great laughs, and great love with my lover, my friend. This is the poem that I wrote for him on the night he left to pursue his dreams; and it is the only evidence that brings to mind the love we both set free…

Jay, my lover, my friend
try to understand me when
I say, I don’t want to let you go;
because I really need you so.
But, I understand
what life can sometimes demand.
I haven’t written in a while,
but, it’s not my style
to allow a loved one to go,
and never let him know
if I really cared.
Sometimes, you get scared
of what the future holds;
so rather than holding on; you seek other goals.
But, I want us both to remember what we had.
And believe me there was never anything bad.
I will always have…..

Memories of our long conversations
about all of our strange situations.
The things we wanted to last,
of the future, of the past.
About our troubles and strife,
and all the things we wanted from life.

Memories of our laughter
that is here now and thereafter.
The good times we had walking in the park.
Or just talking to each other in the dark.
The quality time we’d spend
attempting to know each other as a friend.

Memories of our love-making;
each of us taking
time to please the other.
I couldn’t ask for a better lover.
You’re always so tender and kind;
as our feverish bodies intertwine.

Good memories of us, is all I have.
I guess you’ve become my best pal.
The good times may have to end.
But, I know we’re everlasting friends.
Jay, in my own way, I love you so;
but, if you must go, you must go.
Go seek your dreams, but be like the wind;
and come back to me soon my lover, my friend.

In order to find new love, you must be willing to allow old relationships to remain in the past.  Goodbye my lover, my friend....

By Meme T.