Three, almost – a couple months shy
eager & watching, always watching
repeating & giving everything
a number. My nephew can count to twenty
in English & knows all his colors;
his alphabet holds twenty-six letters
but like him, it’s growing. He’ll learn how
the r sometimes rolls – already prefers how
the l sounds like y when doubled.
You should hear him say yellow
in English, realizing Spanish
is already dancing on his tongue.
You should hear him say amarillo
from his white boy mouth, & will.
He’s learning this, loving this
learning how to speak to the neighbors
we’re afraid to tell him are in cages.
--Rachel Nix
(Poem was previously published in Anti-Heroin Chic)
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