Circles

The ring of truth…

The circle of my friends pulls in

as they pull out, fall out,
give out of town addresses.
Take off to find themselves,
yet find themselves
outside of the circle.
Take up with those who,
slow on the uptake,
don’t discern the gift
So cast new friends adrift
or fail to lift the gloom
of their own circle.

And so my ever smaller circle,
still shines though lines of age,
and signs of rage caparison the edge.

It’s still a circle with no end,
where every friend
faces in toward the other.
Each brother, sister, boon companion;

tempered in the fire,
is higher prized than diamonds.