Friends and Strangers

By Mildred Barthel

Yesterday

Long ago

We stood shyly

Momentarily measuring

Newness of each other.

We glanced at the toy each

Carried. Instinctively

We shared

In the sandpile

Between us,

And the morning was

A great adventure from stranger

To friend.

Today

The world that tables between us

Is parliamentary

And all business.

The decisions we hold in our heads

May benefit mankind

If we can still become friends from strangers.