Two Old Friends Poem by Jim Yerman

I watched two old men…old friends I think by the smiles on their faces
Greet each other with open arms…two smiles…two embraces.

I was close enough to hear some of the things they had to say
as they quickly remembered parts of their lives that have long since slipped away.

"Do you remember the time? "…one man would say, "back in 1975…"
Then the other man would sit up straight as if his memory came alive…

"How about the time? ".…one said, as another story was brought up
The other man would think…then smile…once his memory caught up.

I only paused to listen for a moment…I didn't want to appear rude
This was private…personal…between the two of them…I didn't want to intrude.

But for that moment I marveled at how those memories made them smile
and I wondered if memories weren't like old friends we haven't seen in quite a while.

Old friends make it easy to bring out memories in our hearts we have encased…
Perhaps that's why old friends and old memories are similarly embraced.

As I left them there sharing memories…on that park bench over there
I thought how memories, like love, are more beautiful when they're shared.

If I'm ever asked to define happiness…I know what my answer will be.
Two old friends sitting together on a park bench
sharing memories…