A Scarcity

those days. waited in lines 
with a female relative you pretended 
not to know to get the extra 
sack of scarce sugar. (war 
lingering.) (the small town dying 
& not yet knowing it.) the place 
odored with fruit & coffee; the plain 
wood floor. & the glee of meeting 
afterwards, the four pounds put 
together at a time. & did not know 
that what was rationed was those days.