To my dearest friend
A shepherd in this valley of darkness
A fellow leper
A former criminal
An entity not quite human
Not a magician, nor a lunatic
A specimen entirely unique
One that marches to the beat of his own drums
Not only are they drums, but an orchestra
Capable of music both sinister and righteous
Joyous and melancholy
Ultimately impossible to compare to anything
Regardless, I try by these words
My shepherd you swear allegiance
Even if it means your end, your loyalty is unshakable
You are my protector and my guide
A blessing not many possess
At times you have slipped
Nearly falling off the edge
But I’ve reached to grab your hand
Time and time again I extended my hand
Sometimes in frustration at the frequency of such events
Wrapped up in your hand of life’s challenges
To this day, you occasionally find yourself losing balance
And many times
Simultaneously I find myself struggling for leverage
However, in the end I could never waver from our allegiance
This brotherhood not of blood
But of moral compass and spirit
Of a quest for purpose and meaning
Brother, I hope you see the sun as I do
I hope it graces you with the comfort of hope
I know you’ve sensed it all along
All your penance
Your mission
Your oath to watch over me
I now truly believe it was fate
There are few things to gain from hurricanes
From tornados and other disasters
Beyond control or Earthly understanding
Our friendship, our brotherhood
Is one wholesome, of depth
This fragment of sunlight finally revealed
Let it assure you that you are
A shepherd unlike any other in this desolate landscape
One capable of navigating this land of shadows
So now let us both bask in the glory
The glory of this light
The honor of this brotherhood
The hope of all possibilities
To you, my friend
I say
Thank you
Dr. Michael A. Clavarino ©