Searching
Year after year
A decade
More
No answer

Memories linger
Of formal nights past
A gown for me
A tux for you

A ship
A cruise
Dancing nights
Sunny fun-filled days

Becoming friends
Together
You called me Cinderella
For my gown
I never turned into a pumpkin

I called you piggy
For your laugh with the little cute snort
Only 9 days of friendship we had
And then we flew away to our homes
Around the world

We stayed in touch for less than
A year after via email
Then you disappeared like the mist
Into the beyond
Too far away for my reach

I emailed and got no answer
You never replied again
I searched and searched
But your magical smile was gone
From all but my memories

Friends tried helping me before
I tried to imagine you were somewhere
Happy, with your wonderful boyfriend
But I never stopped looking or wondering

Today, my search
Came to a bittersweet end
A friend with skills in this
Found your obituary
My heart sank, tears welled up
You never lived to see 32

Oh piggy
My sweet piggy
Your life ended only 1.5 years after
We last spoke
What happened?
Why so suddenly, were you taken away
From all whom loved you dearly?

I cannot fathom it
I lost a friend the year before you
And another one 4 years after you
All young men, gone before their spark
Could really shoot across the sky

My heart feels heavy
My soul is saddened
I've found you
Just way too late
To hug you again
To laugh with you
To dance with you

Till we meet again,
My wonderful friend
Auf Wiedersehen

***Dedicated to Christian Exner, gone way too soon but never forgotten. April 20, 1977-June 29, 2008.***