Eric

I didn't trust you

when 

I first met you,

you slammed poems

cleanly and clearly

and under control.

You told me to try

to do the same

and I would later

find you in a room

of other poets

and we'd sit by

each other and joke

and nerd out

over the creations

of Lucas, Whedon,

Kane and Lee.

You encouraged

my vulgarity at times

and to you, I pledge

thousands of cat slits

in the after life.