Lost

I once lost my cat, she died
She meant the world to me
But I was OK to see her go
Because I knew she’d been set free

I once lost my favorite sweater
Made by dear long gone grandmother
It was a piece of her, that sweater
And she couldn’t make me another

But then I lost my best friend
I guess I took him for granted
Thinking we’d get through anything
No matter the unkind words or deeds

I don’t know why I did it
Why I pushed him away
I lay in bed each night and wonder
I scold myself everyday

I tried to get him back
But he would not hear my words
I wanted to apologize, I tried
Once, twice and yet a third time

I watched his entire baseball game
Just to talk with him for a minute
I called his name so many times
Yet he pretended not to hear it

I wonder how it happened
That I managed to hurt his feelings so
Just one night of hurtful joking with friends
We teased him, we left him out, we made him go

He confronted me the next day
But I still felt the pleasure of power
Of being in control, I enjoyed
Feeling his jealousy and anger

But then I opened my eyes and I saw
Yes, the real damage for what it was
My boat had been sunk
I’d been thrown right off the page
I know now that I played with fire
And I have been badly burned
My best friend walked away from me
And I don’t think he’ll ever return

Yes, I lost my cat I loved so much
I never saw her again
I lost my grandmother’s sweater, so dear
But worst of all…I lost by best friend