"Humiliation at O'Hare in Nine Parts", Wahid Al Mamun
CW: Border Law Enforcement
I
above all you want to belong. which means
to stand behind the yellow line – to be
the copy of the copy of the person
you want them to see.
II
the man behind the perspex window is polish
the way your girlfriend is polish – through a father
who has long disavowed his roots to become
somebody else.
III
two nights ago you were trimming your beard
and could only think of suburban lawns,
flat and pesticidal; miles and miles
of manicure and fencing.
IV
on the flight you dream always
of silver oceans and silver rooms,
swallowing you whole
in their silver tombstones.
V
look into the scanner. press your right thumb. now
your left. look into the scanner again. where
do you live? why are you here? now look
into the scanner again. not there. here.
VI
(though i suppose this is how they get you. one day
you’ll find yourself accessorizing the garden gnomes
and it will be too late.)
VII
always they will say, sir we may have a problem. always
the silver room. questions you always choose afterward
to forget. time, that iron snake, slides out of the room.
VIII
my god, your girlfriend says when she picks you up. that’s horrible.
yeah, that’s just what it is.
i would fight them. i’d sue.
please don’t do that. please.
IX
above all, you want to belong. which means
to stick it out. of course, you know about
the many manys that cannot. but you
don’t want to write their poems.