Friendship

Years pass between us,
yet our armor remains unscathed.
When we stand side by side,
we lay bare our souls.

Let us bypass the trivialities—
tell me of your father wound,
if your lover’s embrace feels like comfort or restraint,
and what it is to confront your deepest fears.

We call this friendship,
but does it not transcend that label?
It feels like something greater,
as we watch the sun sink behind the clouds,
laughing as though time has not touched us since childhood.

Girlhood, I believe, is the most sacred of realms.
In your presence, the world feels safer, gentler, lighter.

I wish to tell you that I thank whatever deity governs this universe
for placing us together in that fateful junior year math class.
Even an atheist must find grace in the gift of a sister.