This is a slam I wrote and performed (as a duo, actually) for my poetry class.

To lose a friend

It doesn't make sense

To do everything to keep in touch

To do everything to never lose that connection

Phone calls made weekly, sometimes more

Multiple emails, rarely forwards

Letters, birthday and Christmas gifts in the mail

Summertime visits

Spending all the hard-earned babysitting, odd job, and allowance money

On plane tickets and trips to the movies and the mall

To know exactly who each other's friends are, though we've each met only a few

To know each other's school schedules, teachers and homework

To know each other's crushes and exactly who we can't stand and why-

To know almost everything

It doesn't make any sense at all to lose it

To fall into depression as that friendship slowly slips away

Please at least tell me why

Why you don't take my calls or return them (Have you even noticed I stopped calling?)

Why the only emails I've gotten in the past months

Consisted of one overly-brief message trying to reassure me that nothing was wrong

And one STINKIN' Snowball Fight '06 FORWARD

Sent out to a long list of people (Do you know what it's like to know you're only as important as a forward?)

If I bug you, just tell me

If you're sick of calling someone so far away "best friend", just let me know

I know you've been busy

Schoolwork and chores and church and band and boys and you were recently sick

But I haven't actually talked to you in at least two or three months

Come on, that long ago I was still doing fine in all my classes

And believe me it's been a while that I've been struggling with school

But you wouldn't know about that, would you?

I've tried to mention it, but you've always had to go.

Never more than fifteen interrupted minutes

Last time I called I talked to your latest boyfriend longer than you

But I guess it's okay

Because I've got friends

They're good friends and they've actually heard my baby nephews' names

But I haven't got a best friend anymore

And it doesn't make sense to me

Losing a friend, losing my best friend

Due to time and distance

And disinterest

It's like you're taking your time

Pulling a rather large and amazingly adhesive sticker off my arm

So thanks so much

Stickers are cute while they last

But you could have at least done me the favor of ripping it off quickly, couldn't you?