It was meant, and taken

with absolute kindness,

an observation handed to the recipient

as one would offer a Raspberry Ripple

ice cream to a sweating man as he

patiently waited for a glass of water

brought by slow camel from the Sahara.

I smiled as my friend spoke down the phone

on his birthday, as he handed me the verbal

compliment with sincerity. I always imagined

that living in your head, old pal,

was like watching four classically trained