I have heard more than one
identical story of immigrants
being told to get all their teeth
pulled out before coming to America
My friend wrote in her memoir about
her father, an eye doctor who had
all his teeth taken out before he came
to the States My mother-in-law
did the same thing at the advice
of her friend, before she joined
my father-in-law in Chicago
Because in America the men who look
into your mouth to fix your teeth
will take away your money, leaving you
nothing to save or feed your children
In America in the waiting room
of the dental clinic a magazine
lies open at an article Its first
sentence reads The third strongest
feature of an American identity is
having good teeth I want to ask
what the hell are the first and second?