America:
unrecognized credentials
lawyer uncle turned butcher to feed his eight children
couch-surfing and loans
six to a bedroom: like a can of anchovies
caffeine and anemianot enough sunshine
untreated TB and pneumonia
memorizing of books to pass exams while
memories of home melt into
too many cups of instant coffee

III.

A child's Fisher Price record player
tinkles "Mary Had a Little Lamb."
Dad flips real vinyl on Technics. We learn
Beatles, Beach Boys and Benatar.
Late nights sleepy-eyed after emergency room calls:
the garage door opens.

Ice clinks in a whisky glass.

IV.

They do not yet miss their left-behind lives:
Lolo's rule in the house with the green metal gate where
nine kids left for the West,one by one by one
movie house in the little town by the sea
popcorn sold out of recycled coffee cans