Four College Buddies, A Poem about Finding Oneself Again

Four College Buddies By Paul Kipnes Four college buddies Returned to the scene To the college we all once called home For a guys weekend away To reflect, come what may On the lives, on the journeys we roam We fell into old patterns Using nicknames long forgotten Stalking old friends and eating great food Laughing about the old times Over top-shelf drinks and good wine Telling stories, some heartfelt, some rude We walked back to the dorms Where we set our life’s norms Where we dreamed dreams ‘bout what the future might be We shared whatever came into our heads We left nothing unsaid It felt so normal, so comfortable, so free We talked of family and marriage Nothing was judged or disparaged We just listened as each told his tale Of the successes that energized Of the times that surprised Of the moments when each of us failed Upon shoulders long trusted We unburdened our burdens About all we have seen and all that we did No excuses, just to explain Straight talk was the refrain About love, finances, jobs and our kids With us four, There’s no battles to win We just retreat to check in Analyzing our lives and our worries from afar Because these history-holding friends As we intentionally intend Remind us of who we once were and now are They say you can’t go back To the past, You can’t retract You can only embrace what you have and what’s in store So to the present I return Embracing it with passion that now burns With clarity and support of us four. That weekend away With the guys, let me say Reinvigorating, it helped me relax There was nothing so insane I reflected on the airplane Just a weekend to get back on track — Four college roommates gathered for a guys weekend near Trinity College, our university Home for those formative years near Hartford, Connecticut. 30+ years later, this occasional reunion provides opportunities to look back, assess and reassess our lives, and readjust for a healthful, love-filled, meaningful future.