Grief runs through this poem, and it is spoken straight to the person who is gone. The speaker remembers a best friend who acted like a brother, someone who cared, loved and protected them at any hour, "day or night." The poem moves from that warm memory into the present, where every look at the stars brings the friend back to mind.
The turning point is the line about dead souls becoming stars. From there the speaker asks two quiet questions: "Are you a star?" and "Do you still check on me?" They sound hopeful but unsure, as if the speaker wants comfort and can't quite find it. The poem doesn't say how the friend was lost, and the words "when you were gone" leave that open.
The mood is tender and plain, and it ends in an open plea: "Come back if possible." The simple wording makes the longing feel honest, and the last line, "It's so hard without you," says the rest.