really
if one is to be 
a truly
United States of American poet
one ought to speak
Spanish and English
in equal measure
with equal love for each

and in the interest
of historical accuracy
should have learned
Spanish first

one should also recognize
and pronounce correctly
hundreds of words
in other languages
from all over the world
(and not just the ones from menus)
as well as
understand anger and sorrow songs
in languages of West Africa 

and at least be able to nod 
at the ghosts
who murmur in 1500 languages
spoken here
long before any others
in fact

please
US of American poets
write in Spanish AND English
informed and changed by all these others
these are the tongues of the nation now
speak them with pride and humility

recalling always
that they were originally
the tongues
of oppressors