First Friend

A bear as a birth toy.
Many times bigger than an infant’s hand,
yet compassionate, safe and mellow;
like the teddy’s colour – a baby pink sunset sky.
A pair of midnight eyes and an upside down ‘Y’ for a mouth.
A shiny silken pink ribbon at the neck to accompany,
where the ends are frayed.
The fur is a worn,tattered carpet.
The individual strands are chunky, aged, yet smooth.
His backside image reflective of a koala’s.
The toy rattles happily when shook.
His stomach is filled with beads,
and a petite semi-sphere tail is sewn fondly at the back.
Small semi-circular ears sewn carefully on each side of his spherule head.
He smells like a distant hospital,
tastes like a cloud of pale pink cotton candy.
He remains eternally perched on my bed, as he cannot stand.
Although now old and tattered,
he is still my first friend;
an irreplaceable toy.