I don't need you ruining me,

so smile much too easy

and pretend we weren't living lies.

I challenge you to realize

the major flaws and minor seventh

of friendship set to one-tenth

the effort that I deserve.

What strikes the steely nerve

with a note of harsher protest

is how even the remotest

acquaintance I've met in life

has not inspired such great strife

as I encounter even daily

with you, my friend. May we

go our separate ways, then –

a tragedy, after nearly ten

years of understanding one

another completely – all undone.

TMK 31mar2008