old friends

apparetif voices meet in mid-air
cadence cracked, unbroken,
gushing from well-remembered yesterdays,
before the main dish is served:
an embrace
with hearty helpings of
chatting and cherishing
tasting their heritage:
private punchlines pulled from the past
memories long gone,
supping stories,
turning time meaningless,
eyes go glistening
with a tear or two,
a laugh, a nod,
a sip, a swallow,
of who they were,
forgetting, re-forging,
savouring on their palates
the food and drink
of their history.