YOU ARE NOT FROM AROUND HERE

YOU ARE NOT FROM HERE
in New York City
it seems
the people who are descendents
of immigrants
the ones who have been there
for a few generations
the ones who are some
of the proudest Americans
maybe some of the proudest people
in the world
they like to look at you
and make a split decision
about you
then they like to say, “you
are not from around here.”
and I like to look back at them
and then around at all the people
on the streets
behind the food carts
the deli counters
I like to look up in the sky
at the window washers
and the telephone workers
high up in their cherry pickers
I like to look at them
their styles
their expressions
listen to their voices
and their accents
and see how they go about their lives
and then turn back to my accuser
and reply, “no shit, Sherlock. Now,
how about a well toasted bagel
with veggie cream cheese?”