I’d known you for 7 years
and in that time we seemed
to get on real well together
you seemed to have had a good run of fortune
but that ended when you broke your word
now I want to know the answer to this question
who was I to you?
It was I who found that job that you have
got you through your interview
who got you the promotion you didn’t deserve
kept your work colleagues off your back
let you know what was going on
I was the one who always took the blame for you
when you were the one who screwed it up
I took and suffered the punishment
so that you never did
I still have some of the marks as a result
Helped you with your shopping
despite the comments I got from others for it
let you take all the compliments on your taste
yet I was the one who picked it all for you
Your rock when things went wrong
your shoulder to cry on and weep on
when your partner or friend cheated on or betrayed you
your supporter even when you kept going back
for you to be hurt again and again
Then one day you thought you try to betray me
trouble is I’d seen it coming
your plan failed miserably as I knew it would
my trust for you was broken
and I never spoke to you since
Now your whole life has turned to shit
as no one’s watching your back
people at work have turned on you
you’re the one taking the flack for your mistakes
because I’m not there to shield you from it all
I see you in the street the other day
you didn’t even seem to recognise me
just looked at my face and asked who I was
almost smiled when you shook at my reply
when I looked you in your eyes and said simply
“I was your friend”
John Westlake
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/150-i-d-known-you-for-7-years/
