Two Friends

They were bullied at school but not by me,
on balance shunned by everybody,
and I saw them up town aged twenty three
and they were frightened of me.

Years later,
I close my eyes,
and witness the terror in theirs.
And I see the class
and their space at the back
and the obvious hopelessness trapped in their stares.

And now they are dead, they look straight ahead.
Ignore my hello, a practised routine.
They are the best days of your life they say.
If you ignore it it will go away.

© Mark Sheeky. Permission is required for reproduction.