If you'd go into the woods and sightsee,

you'd probably miss this clearing behind two old oak trees.

But these two boys noticed

as they were walking through the forest,

and now the friends lean on a tree,

listening to the sounds of the creek

once or twice each week.
***
The look on his face

as he enters their favorite place

is always one of wonder and love.

He turns back to his friend

and, as is the trend,

takes the other boy's hand.

The two boys

hear nothing but white noise

as they crawl through the small space

between the two old oak trees.

Nothing could ever replace

this time or place

when they can sit with each other and just be.
***
Their unintentionally hidden secret is where the friends

announce, without words, that they will always go to the ends

of the earth for each other.

The know their deep affinity

for one another will last them infinity

because they know where they belong

—together—when nature sings her song;

it doesn't matter whether they get older and stronger,

if their lives get longer,

because they have a special kind of friendship

that all friends should have.
***
"Forever," the smaller one whispers

as they gaze up at the stars.

The taller boy agrees, saying, "Yes, forever," intertwining their fingers.

"And I hope we never forget that,

no matter what, this, this is ours."

They smile sleepily at each other,

having conversations with their eyes

which are shining bright under the night skies.
***
Ten years later, the boys will laugh and remember

fondly the way they always held hands, always used to say "forever".

They'll remember how they often fell asleep in each others' arms

and depended on each other so much their parents were a bit alarmed.

Even then, if you'll look you'll see

two grown men reminiscing in the forest behind two old oak trees.