Am I American?

By David Taehee Lee

Born in New York, I was
Got that passport later on
A golden eagle, strong and fair
On blue cover, clear as the sky.

But that’s all I had, really
Grew in a distant land far away
Parents of a different country
The baby eagle found a strange home.

Yet sixteen years later
This nameless bird
Came back to the vast continent across the Atlantic
Saying he reclaimed his homeland.

But this self-aware fledgling
Found himself so very different
An outlier, grey and shriveled
Amongst them real eagles.

The beak no longer golden
The feathers tainted yellow
The claws worn out and numb
This ain’t no eagle anymore!

Not only the physical appearance
But also the voice
But also the values
But also the heart—

And the timid heart
Lacked the bravery of the king of birds
Plagued by doubt, voices:
“Am I American?”