Hope Joked

I remember
when we were
the future
and every step
we took
into brilliance
was noted by a
kindly teacher.

We were rising.
We became
sweet and soft
with hopeful
tears of romance
in our words
and the certainty it
would all count.

When the teachers all
wizened and died
and romance turned
hard like flesh,
hope joked.
We all
laughed at the joke.