On Being Bilingual

"We only speak English here"reads a sign hung against thewindowpane of a record store.

Red and thick letteredup against one another,in my mind they regret

their bright presence.Like when people ask medo you think in twos?

and my response is itall depends on location,location, location.

When you realize that those sneers meanto take a knife,and cut away at the reddest part of you.

Maybe the tongueis meant to live outsideof the body like a dog.

I could teach it to rollthe right way,to sit still at the right times.