Bangladeshi-American

In Tenessee beneath
cantering horsey clouds
I crane by the pavement
Flag a yellow taxi
Hop inside to lean forward
And honk in New Yoikese:
"Drive me to Cox's Bazar."
I have water on the brain!
I go to a softball party
Tits in a sports bra
Dance and smile
Twirl and laugh
Stand boozily by the veined hand
Flipping hotdogs on a grill and hear:
Jokhon porbay na payer chinno ai baatay
Shower down from magnolia leaves.
My father would not approve!
I speak Americanese all day 'n night
rat a tat clip clop wham bam zip zap
In my sleep in red-white-blue dreams
a man by a green-slimed pond
leans into my eyes
and whispers past cigarette smoke:
'Apni ki ashben na ghoray?'
I giggle: you makin' a pass at me man?

Gulrukh Akhtar studies film-making in Chicago.