Iread them my poem "immigrants.” immigrants wrap their babies in the american flag, feed them mashed hot dogs and apple pie, name them bill and daisy, buy them blonde dolls that blink blue eyes or a football and tiny cleats before the baby can even walk, speak to them in thick english, hallo, babee, hallo, whisper in spanish or polish when the baby sleeps, whisper in a dark parent bed, that dark parent fear, "will they like our boy, our girl, our fine american boy, our fine american girl? ” as a writer, i understand the value and necessity of knowing my past, of keeping that door open. mora includes the poem in her speech to entertain her audience with stories from her own childhood. encourage her audience to remember their family history. educate her audience about life in other countries. persuade her audience to change political viewpoints.