Friends, like violets, forgive the heel that crushes them,
Leaving a wondrous scent of love and kindness behind;

Friends, like tulips, blossom in the coolness of spring,
And last through summer's scalding heat and winter's chill,
Wrapping us in a soft and downy blanket of warmth.

Friends, like goldenrods growing on the side of the road,
Are perennial and ever faithful with their bounty of color,
Generous with their encouragement, hope, and laughter,

Friends, like Queen Anne's lace, are beauty and light,
Shielding us from pathways of dark aloneness;

Friends, like the last rose of summer, are there for us
In times of need and despair, and to share in our joys,

Friends, like thorns of the rose, should be handled with care,
Cherished as if they are one of life's greatest treasures,
Because they are.


(c)2001 LaVonne Boruk