Melting

Did you notice that when you

say melting pot, your tongue

falls heavy on the word melt?

And the air's getting heavy

in the paper-ash streets and

in this room where we find

non-issues engaging (and also,

worth writing about, it seems).

There is no emphasis in our

apologies, because we are bad

for America and America is bad

for the confused with torches.

Tomorrow is another day, and

tomorrow is another nightmare

to remember when the mainland

first met the rest of the world.

Sunny mornings randomly erupt

into our cold continental shadow,

and the floor quakes with history.

You can build a mosque here,

that is, you know, umm, well,

assuming you can stand it.