My Old Schoolmate Poem by Herbert Nehrlich

A friend from overseas,
one who was half forgotten,
came for a visit just today,
to reminisce and see koalas.
I had occasion to observe
him freshening and take a shave
in front of our steamed up mirror,
and he remarked that olden times
remember when we used to, well.
He started yapping as he used to
just over 50 years ago at home.
Yes I remembered well our pranks,
the turds we laid in school loudspeaker,
the powdered Glauber Salt for tea
that made the teachers run at last.
The hazy, though acute reflection
had given me some food for thought
but when we sat with our friend Jack
and sipped the memories back down
it did occur to me that he, in truth,
had aged so much that it was doubtful
he was the friend I'd left behind.
So, c'est la vie I mumbled loudly,
creation knows no decency.
Next morning when he shaved again
I peeked in quickly, did confirm
and my elation made me glow
how lucky can a person get?
Then I was beeped and had to go
he said 'you put on some condition',
patting my belly, then he added
'well face it, we're old geezers now'.
I have a beard and never shave
and therefore have no need to look
into a steamed up lying mirror
and, well I do recall the days,
when that old geezer was still young,
he always did exaggerate.