Boy White American
By Amy O’Reilly
Of the moms in my online support group for pregnancy
nearly half believes a woman lacks
the rational mind necessary to run this country.
The other half advocates immigration to Canada.
Of the first half I can’t say how many are having daughters.
Today my son feels like a lost opportunity, or worse,
a dangerous job I signed up for unwittingly.
It’s my business now to know things like the percentage of school
shooters male—96—and if a guy plays a college sport
he’s more likely to commit a sexual offense.
Everything I know about my son I’ve put into a list:
Boy
White
American
You tell me what to fear—
harm the world might do to him, or harm he might do to it?
At least with a daughter you know you’re playing defense.
Keep her away from Disney, fad diets, Kardashians.
Drive home the buddy system. When writing a list
of the thousand things she could grow up to be
start with Schoolteacher, Ballerina, Botanist.
Rest assured you can finish without Murderer, Rapist, President.
Amy O’Reilly’s poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in New Ohio Review, Southern Indiana Review, Blackbird, and Spillway, among others.
Spread the word