Friends

Friends! They’ve qualities a bit special and stark,

A mélange of a parent, sibling, spouse and a child

A tad informal, outside they reside, off the family mark,

Yet in them, we look for our home, a comfort, we find inside.

Friends! They’re ageless to the very core,

Same age, or decades younger or older to you,

Could be miles apart, or a person next door,

They define and defy all boundaries, milieu.

Friends! They’re a keep, not a symbol to flaunt,

Celebrities, erudite, panwalas*, all the same,

Fools judge their company, duds praise or taunt.

Market conditions of guilt, pride or shame.

Friends! They may not always stand beside

When you are in dire or pressing need,

For that, if you brushed them aside,

It’s your failure indeed.

Friends! They become you, you your friends become,

With them you dive in, keep afloat, swim or sink,

With them around, your sailing world becomes a home,

A shore-less bond beyond rests in the ocean of friendship.

Note:

*panwalas  - This may also be spelled as "paanwallah". Literally taken, this means "betel leaf seller". It is composed of two Hindi words, "Paan", which means "betel leaf" and "wala" (or "wallah") which means "person associated with". Betel leaf and areca nut is a common breath freshener in India and there are other ingredients added as well depending on region, similar to sausage varieties in German towns. It is a chewable product. (Source:Wikipedia)