Men won't marry women who have too many opinions,
my mother's voice rang in my head.
Oh wow, you work where?
You went to law school where?
You went to undergrad where?
You're from Miami?
(Miami. Don't mention your last trip there.
If you do, mention the beach. The sunny weather.
Don't talk about the public school you visited,
the one that services an entire housing project over a mile long.
Don't mention the kids with holes in their teeth,
the five-year-olds who practically inhale their school lunches
and who wear the same stained shirts for weeks in a row.
Don't talk about the children with undiagnosed autism, ADHD
or the kid who misses kindergarten graduation
because he has to attend his own father's funeral instead.
If you mention neighborhoods, mention the touristy ones
Not the one you hear about on The First 48.
Don't mention that Miami showed you
that the U.S. won't properly address the issues of
poverty, education, healthcare
until it recognizes that they are mere effects
of a deeper problem, inequality.)
Oh, you're from Miami? I say,
That's so
interesting.
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