Illegal
by John Pietaro

Paolo braved the First World War safely on American soil,
A stowaway on a New York-bound ship.
Just another W.O.P.
Leaving his wife and children for now, he knew,
He knew he’d go back for them. He knew,
She’d wait for him.

Stateside, Paolo ate from Manhattan trash and
Slept in Manhattan doorways.
Hiding, seeking work.
Just another WOP.

Paolo pledged allegiance in uniform, on Calvary horseback;
The flood of the undocumented were welcomed in
For a price.
Join the Army and See the World.

As the sons of American workers died in trenches
On French and Italian fronts
Torn by phantasm
In the land of no man,
Each huddled son of afar
Lived the imperial bleed
In the suicide rush as
Just another W.O.P.

Poet’s note: This piece is very meaningful to me as its loosely based on my great-grandfather’s experience coming to this country from rural Italy in the 1910s.

John Pietaro is a writer, poet, spoken word artist and musician as well as curator of the “West Village Word” series at Café Bohemia NYC. A native of Brooklyn NY, Pietaro is a columnist and critic of the NYC Jazz Record and currently engaged in book project Shifting the Jazz Narrative: photo essays of women instrumentalists for the Berklee College Institute of Jazz and Gender Studies. He is also writing a first novel, among other ventures. Credits include poetry chapbook Smoke Rings (2019), short fiction collection Night People (2013), a chapter in Paul Buhle/Harvey Pekar’s SDS: A Graphic History (2007) and numerous published essays, reviews, poems, reportage and fiction. As a performer, he’s shared the stage with Allen Ginsberg, Amina Baraka, Pete Seeger, Karl Berger, Steve Dalachinsky and many others. Pietaro also fronts the duo SHADOWS with bassist Laurie Towers. For more info visit http://JohnPietaro.com