My friendships sometimes feel like books
– the few of them still remaining –
the once vivid connection waning
sitting on shelves giving dirty looks.

Definitely, you can see the mould,
stains and they’re dinged-up to a degree
what once seemed maintenance free
is now built on all the old stories retold.

You could of course skip chapter one
but the first ones shaped your language
shared youth and ideals in our baggage

Should get them all out of storage
and give them their deserved attention
find new adventures to toast on.

Translation: Trevor Scarse