Danny

He was my best friend
in first grade.
He had cancer,
but we were too young
to know that.
Everyone just said
he had two hearts
and that’s why he was sick.
When he died,
the whole class
had to be told the truth.
I haven’t had
a best friend since.
Gabriel Bates is a poet living in Tiffin, Ohio. His work has appeared in several publications, online and in print. Keep up with him at facebook.com/gabrieljbates. Read other articles by Gabriel.