koreatown sunday morning

once  upon a time a white bread chain
the supermarket now caters korean
staffed by a mexican-american crew
hustling produce to the store’s music  
(compton rappers angry at injustice)

the floors are old
hard wood original
but the air is new
rich with aroma
spice and saffron
and kimchi
(oh, lord, is there ever kimchi!)

i am the sole baeg-in here
tagging after my wife  
who tags after her mother
who after thirty years
in the united states
still shops like  
it’s a village market

this is what los angeles is
this is what america is
and if it scares you to think of  
little old korean ladies  
buying their groceries
from mexicans
while blacks rap
well
maybe you were never part
of this country to begin with
and if you weren’t
we won’t miss you
when you’re gone

© Buzz Dixon