friends in low places
cross legged on the tile floor playing spades
you know things about me that nobody else does—
my deepest fears, the skeletons in my closet, the ghosts under my bed
you tell me about your job and your dog and your asshole sister
over tablets of trazodone and cups of ensure
and we whisper and laugh through the 10 minute checks
long into the night
we sit next to each other in group
pass each other plastic spoons
put hot sauce on everything
save shorts for each other for the next smoke break
hug extra tight before we leave
but never speak again
know that i think of you often—
andrena, karen, ari, hannah
i look at the stars and hope you’re still here
looking at them too