wrap their babies in
the American flag,
feed them mashed hot
dogs and apple pie,
name them Bill and
Daisy,
buy them blonde dolls
that blink blue
eyes or a football
and tiny cleats
before the baby can
even walk,
speak to them in thick
English,
hallo, babee,
hallo,
whisper in Spanish
or Polish
when the babies sleep,
whisper
in a dark parent bed,
that dark
parent fear, “Will
they like
our boy, our girl,
our fine American
boy, our fine American
girl?”