“My shoelace just snapped,”

said my American husband on his way out the door.

“It’s too much!”

said my little German student’s Swedish father

as he balanced work and at-home learning.

“Can we talk about pirates?”

said my little German student.

“I really wanted to sleep in, but the twins told me ‘nah,’”

said my dear American friend, sending me a picture

of her babies playing.

“We slid into a ditch last night. We thought the car

was totaled, but my friend just sprained his wrist,”

said my younger American brother.

“My mom is one of those flags,”

said my American friend after months of grief and healing.

“Teacher. Miss. Can you tell us how to say your name?”

said my Omani students after introducing themselves.

“It’s Brittney,” I said. “Like Britney Spears.”

“Where are you from? Scotland? Germany? Canada?”

“No, I’m from America,”

I said.

“You can be proud to be an American today!”

said my Canadian friend as she sat

in her living room drinking tea.

Yes. I can be. 

“Thank God it’s over! You/We have finally got a new president,”

said my German friend after months of waiting.

~