I loved poetry when I was alive. I would always sit up late at night in my dorm simply reading the books away, and my roommate would always get angry at me. He loved his sleep. We were both into it though, and connected on some strange encoded level. But that's how poetry was, so we held no complaints.
Our difference was I would take poems into the classroom, usually the most controversial ones I could find. It always riled up the class. I could tell they loved and hated me for it. At least they stayed awake through the more boring lessons. I think that's what stopped the teachers from reprimanding me too hard.
I had also eventually caught the eye of a group of people who followed me and loved what I did. They began calling me 'King,' after a rather tragic event happened at the school. It was also a reference to a famous poem.
But I could also tell that there were a select few who really didn't like what I did. They were always making threats to me about 'ceasing these acts against God.' I just brushed them off, because I never let anyone or anything like that bother me.
And...as I lay here, contemplating them as I rest upon conscious and eternal sleep, I think that, maybe, their threats were a little more real than I let myself believe.
...
I remember a poem my roommate recited to me once.
I think it's kind of what led to this point. No doubt he'll blame himself later when he finds out. But it wasn't his fault. None of this was.
See, I'm a bit hard-headed when it comes to accepting the word 'no,' or being told to stop at all, for that matter. So when my buttons are pushed I simply push back harder, and I just keep going. In my opinion it's sort of what the poem's about.
It's called "All That is Gold Does Not Glitter," by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien.
Yeah, weird name, I know.
Anyways, it goes like this:
'All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.'
Throughout my time knowing this poem, its meaning had changed many times. I just kept going back to it, kept referencing it, using it.
For the moment, I won't explain it, because then it'll just get confusing. I think I'll just lay here a bit longer and reminisce on my last year at Konoha's Academy for the Exceptionally Skilled.
It's not like I have anything better to do here, laying on my death bed.
"Oh Captain my captain!" a boy says with an exaggerated sigh as he dramatically swoons into the small room.
The only other occupant of the room sits at a desk by his bed. He turns around at hearing the interruption to his studies and eyes the newcomer wearily.
"Our fearful trip is done! The ship has weathered every rack! The prize we sought is won!" The boy by the door continues in, closing the door behind him. He flops down on the bed closest to the rooms' occupant, who rolls his eyes.
"Our fearful trip? Naruto, the only thing you did was sit around eating ramen while I unloaded the car." He turns back to his desk as Naruto Uzumaki sits up from the bed. "And will you get off my bed?"
"You suck the fun out of everything, Sasuke Uchiha," Naruto taunts, ignoring the demand. He snorts a laugh and clambers up the bed more to see over Sasuke's shoulder.
"Watcha dooooin'?"
"Studying," was the short reply Naruto received.
"For what? Classes start in two days. You don't have anything to study."
Naruto frowns at his friends unresponsiveness. He sits up and moves his hands to the desk. He sees Sasuke tense and smirks. Just as Sasuke moves his hands out of the way, Naruto closes his text book with such force the sound resounds around the room for a moment.
Sasuke turns around to glare at him. "Are you trying to cripple me?" At Naruto's childish laugh he sighs and gets up, stretching.
"Are you done studying now?" Naruto asks a bit too eagerly.
"You have my book," Sasuke grunts out as he moves to his closet and begins picking through it. "I can't ever study when you're here."
"Good!" Naruto says, missing the annoyance hanging from his roommate's words. "Cause now we can go to the libraries!"
"Yeah, I know. That's the only reason you would ever dare stop me from studying," Sasuke says as he picks out a long-sleeved dark shirt to put on and a long dark coat. "So get ready. It's cold outside."
"On it!" Naruto jumps off the wrinkled bed and rushes over to his closet. He simply pulls out a deep orange jacket and puts it on over is black tank top and zips it up.
Sasuke, on the other hand, has layered up with a gray tank top under a long-sleeved black shirt and equally black coat. He raises an eyebrow at Naruto, then shakes his head. It wasn't up to him what the blonde-haired boy wore. They were both seventeen now, he was sure Naruto could dress himself.
"You ready?" he asks as he picks up his wallet and keys. Naruto's already slipping on some shoes.
"Yup! Let's go!" he says and bounds to the door, almost running into it.
All Sasuke can do is sigh and glance at the clock.
It was only two in the afternoon.
"Hey, hey," Naruto whispers to Sasuke. They're both sitting in the school's library in a study room. It's located on the seventh floor of the libraries' tower, made specifically for these rooms to exist.
Sasuke's sitting in a corner by the window, allowing the afternoon sun to warm his back. Naruto has just crawled over to him with a newly-found interest in a book he's holding. No doubt he wants to read a poem to Sasuke.
"Hey, Sasuke," Naruto says to make sure he has the boy's undivided attention.
Sasuke glances from his book to Naruto, and the boy grins wide.
"Listen to this," Naruto says as he gets comfortable and sits next to Sasuke. He clears his throat.
'The free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wings
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.'
As the first stanza goes by Sasuke closes his eyes to listen to Naruto's deep voice recite the poem they both know only too well.
"But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.
Sasuke can hear Naruto's voice gradually fill with emotions as the second stanza passes. This one is made with the feeling of someone being oppressed. Listening to Naruto recite the poem every time is like getting a new perspective on it. Every time Sasuke can find something new to think on. The poem continues.
The caged bird sings
with fearful trill
of the things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom
The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.
But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing
The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom."
Naruto finishes the poem and sighs into the books' pages. Sasuke opens his eyes and looks to him. He's smiling.
"I love this poem," Naruto grins happily as he flips through the slim book. Sasuke catches the name on the cover. It's a collection of all of Maya Angelou's poems, and the one Naruto had just read out was 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.'
Sasuke can't help but smirk. "She does indeed," he whispers to himself.
"You talkin' to yourself again, smarty?" Naruto jokes as he flips and stops on a page in his book.
"Oh, listen to this one, too!"
And Naruto goes on reciting poems. Sometimes he scuttles over to his mountain of books and drags some back over to Sasuke, since he refused to move from his spot by the window. Eventually they're surrounded by opened books. Naruto recites poems to Sasuke, old and new. Once in a while Sasuke will point out a specific poem he wants Naruto to read, and he even once reads one to Naruto. It's usually just Naruto reading them, though.
The sun has set behind them and the scattered pile of books has grown. Naruto stops in the middle of one of Edgar Allen's longer poems and looks to Sasuke. He smiles.
Sasuke has fallen asleep.
Naruto remembers when they were little how Sasuke used to have nightmares. He would be bawling in his bed and shivering and always whining about how cold it was even if the room wasn't actually cold.
Naruto usually freaked out when this happened, because he never knew what to do to calm him down. One night when the nightmare was extra bad and Sasuke was thrashing around and screaming Naruto had started screaming at him, too, not knowing what else to do. Only they weren't unintelligible gibberish things flying out of his mouth, but a poem. It was Sasuke's favorite one when he was little.
"My friend is all of these!" Naruto had screamed over Sasuke's tantrum. Naruto was trying to hold the boy in his arms. It wasn't working because Sasuke couldn't and wouldn't sit still enough for him to.
Naruto had started to get scared and began crying too, thinking there was something wrong with Sasuke. He hadn't known what else to do but yell and scream and cry as well.
However Sasuke hadn't heard him the first time, so Naruto yelled it again.
"My friend is all of these," he said, voice wavering.
"Friendship is to trust!
Friendship is having the kindness to help!
Friendship is giving to others without thinking!
Friendship is being there when someone needs you!"
Sasuke had stopped screaming and had wilted into simply whining and whimpering as he listened to Naruto scream the poem over his head, too afraid that if he stopped, Sasuke would start screaming again.
"Friendship can be just a smile that brightens your day!
Friendship is giving more than you expect to receive!
Friendship is listening!
Friendship is offering your opinion when you think you need to!
Friendship can be many things!
Friendship is different for everyone!
Friendship could be holding a hand for support!
Friendship is lending your shoulder to cry on!"
At this point Naruto was the only one still crying and screaming. Sasuke had calmed down enough to sit up and look at Naruto. His face was flushed and his eyes were closed. His arms hung loosely by his sides, useless.
Naruto tries to yell out the rest of the poem, but it only comes out as garbled words and sound. He can't remember the rest of it. The poem was too long for him to remember.
Sasuke grabs Naruto's cheeks and pushes them together, stopping him from spewing out anything else as he continues the poem for Naruto.
"Friendship is mellow
Friendship is giving back
Friendship is only taking that what you need
Friendship can be that voice of reason you give
Friendship could also be a boost of encouragement when it's needed"
Now Sasuke is the one who hugs Naruto to him and lets the boy cry into his shoulder.
"Friendship stands the test of time
Friendship is shown in many different ways
Friendship can be everlasting
Friendship is not always an easy thing
Friendship is hard to break apart"
Naruto hiccups as he joins in with him, knowing that if Sasuke can say the poem then he can remember the words that way. Eventually Sasuke's voice dies out, scratchy and overused as he allows Naruto to finish the poem, eventually falling asleep.
"Friendship is strong
Friendship should never be taken for granted
Friendship is meant to be shared with all
Friendship is free and rewarding to share
Friendship can be unforgettable
Friendship is priceless to many
Friendship is a secret never to be told
Friendship is not having to say sorry but do
Friendship is not judging no matter what
Friendship is to share, the joy and the fear
Friendship is someone to run too when things are tough
Friendship is a hand to hold when things are so rough
Friendship is someone to laugh with not at you
Friendship is just knowing they are there
Friendship is very personal
Friendship is all of these things and many more
This is how I see friendship
To have a true Friend is the best thing to achieve
We all have one but it may take a very long time to find them."
Back in the study room Naruto can't help but smile at the memory. It certainly hadn't taken them a long time to find each other. Sure they fought and disagreed a lot but...
A friend was a friend.
And on quiet afternoons like these was when Naruto remembered it the most.
Let me know how this turned out. If you all like it, I'll continue uploading chapters ;)