Pals...Past & Present

Today, i met an old neighbour
she smiled and beckoned me close.
'How are you child?',
she asked with genuine concern.

Yesterday, i saw a new friend
she grinned and enquired loudly.
'What are you up to?'
...in a mocking tone

The bad taste yesterday
is gone.
The flutter of good feelings today
lingers long.

Friendships from long ago
hold fast and strong.
Tight knots of shared secrets,
cemented the bond.

Today's friends
come and go.
Easy to find everywhere,
maybe deleted anytime.

Friends before
catch up with ease,
swapping tales, wiping tears
without fanfare or frills.

Now, friends
want fame and an audience.
Texting tantrums and emailing abuses,
neither caring nor minding.

Blessed are those
with true pals.
Hold tight to real friendships,
in these times of fake and phonies.
Real gems are rare,
stay with them full of care.