there are old friends
stars in the sky that have been there since the beginning
and burn until the end of time
the stars of Orionís belt
a part of the hunter
always there to hold his pants
now those are true friends
there to be a part of the beauty of life, death
and the every day needs of a man

there are new friends
(to keep a good metaphor going)
these drop through the dark
with tails of light marking their path
there to wish on when the arrow misses itís mark
lasting only moments in our stormy lives
but crucial to our trek onward

then there are other friends
who have just come along
in the evolutionary sense of the term
appeared in the sky last week, last year
we canít quite remember
but have now become a permanent part of our lives
twirling and dancing and shining
so needed in the invariable vortex of confusion

these friends stay for as long as it takes
to steady the old hunter in the sky on his quest
these friends stay until stomachs are full
and the last ember has died