April 29th

"Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp; he called it the tent of meeting . . . Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend." Exodus 33:7, 11a

like those blankets donated
to the local animal shelter
because we grew too old,
too grown up to toss them
over chairs and furniture
to create indoor tents,
it is in those faded pictures
in our minds that we remember
you as that friend who laughed
at our silliness and listened intently
to the deep longings of our hearts
which we could only share with you.
yet, in that gentle silence
in a restaurant booth with
that old friend who doesn’t
expect every moment
to be filled with sound,
or in the stillness of a cemetery
where a widow goes every afternoon
to tell her lifelong love
about the trivialities of her day
so she doesn’t have to think
about that grief which shadows
her in every moment,
we meet you face to face,
old friend.

(c) 2026 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman