Amber Alert

Having a child changes you. For example,
A salmon's face extends forward, a giant underbite
Emerging, and then there's the matter
Hanging off their sides. I am proud to be
An American. Also, I'm proud to be a Protestant,
And wasn't whiteness a smart choice.

When people complain to me about Spielberg's manipulative
And frequent cutaways to children in danger—
People being me—I remind them that sarcasm
(Which does so well in the funnies) plays on television
As arrogance. The point is to put a big-ass
Unavoidable conflict, the kind metaphors with tools

Such as hammer, wrench, or fire in them are usually used
To illustrate how they turn us into material,
Materiel, to put this conflict in front of an audience
And present them with options. Suddenly I was able
To notice that what attracted me most was to know
When I actually needed to take care of someone.