my boy looks up saying Carolina sky
is different from sky in Vietnam.
Nguyen Quoc Phong, Nguyen Quoc Phong,
he writes his name on the fogged windshield.
The anniversary of adoption, he asks
too many questions. I try to explain
day and night. We are somewhere between
home and his dad's new house,
coconut cake on the back seat
and presents tied with white ribbon.
That is not enough.
He wants to know how separate worlds revolve.
the crossing of paths at certain days of the year.
I apologize, driving us south,
remembering the day I reached half-way
around the world, $1600.00 in my fist,
believing I could give him the sun and the moon.
from NIGHT STUDENT
