Soft at touch, grasping my hand,
Eyes twinkling just right at me.
A permanent smile fixated,
We played games together.

He didn’t speak much, slow in movement,
A taciturn partner in crime
The king of a mountain
The Wizard of the Oz
We traveled the world together.

Little by little he starved himself out,
Growing skinnier and skinnier through time,
His stench grew strong
His hair fading in color
We were like brother and sister.

I clutch him tightly across my chest
Hands like ribbon of old age and layered skin
His neck with new stiches replacing old stiches
Love is a reciprocated feeling
We had a nonexistent love.