The Ones Who Still Show Up

Nobody teaches you which ones will stay“once the funeral programs stop arriving,“once the casseroles are gone and the house“goes quiet in the particular way“a house goes quiet when the visiting's done.“I used to think that friendship was the talking,“the calling just to talk, the long catch-up.“I know now it's the one who drives four hours“and doesn't ask what you need, just starts“on the dishes stacked up since Tuesday, elbow-deep,“not looking at you, talking about the drive,“the weather, anything, while the actual thing“gets handled without either of you naming it.“Who stays isn't the one who asks how you're holding up.“It's the one already holding the sponge.“