To A Former Friend Poem by Rhona McFerran

I understand how
we by necessity
divide up
the stories we tell
into categories-
some for me
some for you
and some for
the public-at-large
but at some point
you began to
fabricate fragments
and forget
what was the real
and true
story of you

And I longed to tell you
and I longed to hear
the sound of your true voice
answering back
and so I told you

And my soul ached
upon hearing your reply
for I found that
having denied your true self
you could no longer
be true to me