a daughter picks up the latest edition of Teen Girl Magazine
off the side of the grocery aisle that sits right next to check out,
because she stakes her life
on fortuitous serendipity. That is to say, by lucky encounters,
chance happenings,
and her mother throwing a dart
on the world map of her daughter’s father
’s bedroom wall. with hope
that it lands
in an abode somewhere.
between
Refuge, and Rejoice.
Reason, and
Rearing. Ration, and
Dreaming
through houses copy-pasted and American
flags perched and white
wooden window sills
a daughter runs to her room and reads
The magazine cover: 5 Best All-American Heartthrobs,
Ranked. Mom hears a squeal from down the hall
joy that leaps through
their baseball-white walls
she opens to page 12 to where the rankings begin
where this girl scout searches for her next badge in
Wishing:
Dear my All-American man,
Please feed me lumpia, like a servant with grapes to his queen-me. You will have to appreciate your in-laws in Rizal before we see your members in Manila. Please twist the fork an extra! two times when scooping up pancit before bringing music to my mouth. And don’t be insecure, I will love your jet black hair and how it brings out your dark moonlight eyes that sparkle as brown as mine. I hope to find you at my debut in a Barong you fill in more than nicely, teasing the silk buttons and the seams at your chest that hides your tan underneath.
Sincerely,
Your All-American darling
5, 4, 3, 2, they’re all the same.
4. looked like your neighbor Johnny,
2. had green eyes instead of blue.
But all the same. All American.
All-American.
1. Oh,
all American.
Very enticing poem, Jalen :)