this one turned into more of a story than a poem...

Brother
or should I call you Grizzly Adams?
the ferocity with which a beard grows on your face is stronger than the old green truck's horsepower.
what does your chin look like again?
and you push 2 inches of curly brown hair back to show the true shape of your face... we laugh.
up in Burlington it's necessary to have a face-scarf so that when you're boarding at Winter Warlock's home, your beard can collect icicles. Hey, it makes for a good picture, doesn't it?
Comparing your 21 year old self to your 12 year old self (because 21 and 12 are the same backwards and who doesn't appreciate symmetry?) makes me uncomfortable because I've seen you grow up.
and although you're older than me I feel like your maturity has always been that of a 12 year old boy and even with all of that hair on your face you can't hide the boy who loved dragonball z and collected Pokemon cards or the boy scout and alter server.
you'll always be stronger than me and you'll always be able to make me laugh
and when you leave for New Zealand I know you'll come back
but I'll miss you just the same
and the way you push your beard back to show your true face.
"Do you condition it?" ...he does.