We Arethe Sandwich Generation Poem by kathy koppang

We are the sandwich generation
Taking the happy and the sad
Snap shots of moments we treasure
We tuck them neatly
Between the slices of bread we call our life
We have no time in our busy worlds
To build full course meal memories
No leisurely family meals
No motherhood or apple pie
Nannies and brown paper bag lunches
This is life 101
A course we didn’t sign up for
We were enrolled before we were born
Sandwiches are the answer to our parent’s prayers
Where are our constitutional rights?
Where for that matter are our parents?
Tucked safely between the tomato and lettuce
Sometimes we even find them on top of the ham
Rarely do we find them at home
Always they are talking about the best schools
How lucky they are to have such a great nanny.
We don’t know about theirs but ours is the pits
No good night kisses, no bedtime stories,
Just more sandwiches.
For Christmas we will ask for a new family
One that comes complete with a barbecue and patio set,
One where the mother stays home, sometimes
One where the father plays ball, after work,
One where sandwiches are made only for picnics.
We are the sandwich generation,
There is no Santa Clause.
Our bonds are forged with cell phones, plam pilots, and email
Fast food, frozen food, and sandwiches
These are the staples of our existence.
We are the sandwich generation.