Internet Friends

From the beginning with e-mail and mIRC,
through several instant messengers,
Some of you I found,
most of you found me.
but I have always been able to find friends
online.

I have talked with many people
from all over the United States,
and around the world.

Roughly in order from 1996,
Some under a different name or spelling,
Connie, Cheryl, Robin, Karen, Salma,
Irene Teo, Emiko, Akemi, Serly Tedy,
Flash, Sheryl, Angel, Kim, Stacy, Olivia,
Victoria, Juanita, Shelli, Terri,
Spring Swallow, Snow, Sunshine, Behiye,
and added December 2000,
the very last new friend still listed,
Lilies Kumala.

There were others not listed here
but still etched into my heart.
Even if only a brief contact,
I cared.

Don't get me wrong,
these were not all romance,
I just have many special friends.

I do not talk online like I once did,
not enough time,
graphics, prose, and web pages to create.
And I only have one heart.
It became too painful
to turn away nice people.
I still have a few core friends
as close as family.
I can only hope that it will always be so.

To all my friends past and present,
no matter where on the Earth you are,
I remember you.
Special friends, each one,
to those of you I do not hear from today,
I miss you.

By Michael A. Crane, Jr.
Original Version: December 5, 2002
Version 4: December 31, 2002
Some stanzas adjusted for consistency across devices: June 22, 2019
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