I miss your friendship.
The friend’s chat, understanding…
My lone audience.
Your embrace in a single glance
to any craziness that a friend does
and a friend welcomes.

I miss the warmth over drinks,
The laughter about a silly joke,
The patience to listen to the same story,
The finesse to serve a drink,
The lies in the superlative,
mine or yours, which will become true.

I long to applaud you.
Lighter always lit for another cigarette.
Our exchanges and complicity.
Our love never professed.
Our certainty to mutual help.
Oh! How I miss you, my great friend,
to compose with you the sonnet of friendship.

Translation by Silvia DeCastro
New Haven, CT