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poetry Boy White American

Amy O’Reilly’s “Boy White American” puts her finger not so gently on the dangers in a Trumpian universe of gender roles.

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.

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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.