i was the poor bumpkin friend amongst the mourners

i remember at his funeral party his older brother

recited a poem he wrote from when he was eleven

many were prep school kids, hotchkiss kids

dressed properly for a funeral do sat on the grass listening

i think somebody even played some music yes i'm sure of it

i remember feeling quite alone then

 

i was in back, probably improperly dressed

hovering 'neath trees and like the treeline not really there

i lost my best friend whereas others lost a fellow

i lost the awkward kid who was allergic to bees

 

who would upon seeing one dive off the boat only to lose his eyeglasses

who you could hear coming because he was too lazy to pick up his feet

and who was equally indolent at judging others