Who We Became

Fickle things, coming undone

First at the throat, then at the lungs

Breathe.

Changing minds in changing space 

Home - a prison.

Work - an escape!

Breathe.

We went to war (and to the beach!)

We went at each other - with words

And malice

We ripped things from each other’s hands we needed for ourselves

We took the bounty, cleared the shelves

See?

Is fear more contagious than love?

I have you – that will be enough.

We were together. I forget the rest.

Breathe.

When the rest is over 

When the hospitals empty and the airports fill and the tides wrap around my ankles again like a welcome hug from an old friend

(How I miss my friends)

I hope we are proud of who we became

In the abundance of loss, with nothing to gain

When the doctors saved and the nurses stayed

And parents were teachers - but teachers remained

And those who had nothing gave something away,

making everyday heroes from household names

When the rest is over

Will you take a deep breath and say,

“I did the same”?