with thanks and apologies to e.e. cummings

"next to of course family america i
love you land of the Whole Foods and so forth oh
say can you see by the dawn's early my
country 'tis of hot showers of indeterminate length
and large capacity washing machines and dryers
in every language even my toddler's mangled chinglish
my kids acclaim your glorious name by going potty
in english, and washing hands with soap
why talk of beauty what could be more beaut-
iful than the book museum also known as
the free public library with all those books
we did not stop to think we were only visitors
then shall we willingly return to our chinese life?"


She spoke. And drank slowly a glass of bourbon