my friend, would you tell me?

If I wore my black hair
slicked back
with a blond ponytail
hangin' off the back,
would you let me go
out the house
like that?

If I was beatin' my kids' asses
for no apparent reason,
would you sit down and talk to me
or let my kids take
unnecessary beatings?

If my breath
smelled like garbage
on a hot smoldering day
would you offer me a tic-tac
or just send me on my way?

If I was sleeping
with a married man,
would you tell me
that my soul is going to hell
or would you wink
and never tell?

If my poetry was boring
and sounded like shit
would you tell me
it was great
or that I need to quit?

Think of friendship
and what it means to you
little white lie or absolute truth
and if the tables were turned
what would you want
said to you?