Barbara Tramonte’s most recent poem to appear here was “Come Home” (September 2018).

Could We Be the Same?
By Barbara Tramonte

Could we be the same two people
who took a canteen, it leaked,
got on a plane
went to San Francisco,
got off the plane
with no place to live,
Rice Krispies and sardines
in our suitcase
Oh! and a five-year-old child.
Could we be the same two people
who huddled together,
so broke,
that hot coffee and frozen
            spinach
meant lunch and dinner.
We were so happy then!
There was so much we believed.
There is nothing to believe now
and not enough time to be fooled.