Last Names

Last Names by Edmund Siejka Whenever I meet someone At a party, a restaurant or in line at a store And the conversation turns to last names I respond politely When they ask What nationality is that? The question strikes me as anachronistic Like how old were you when you were born? For some of us The spelling and pronunciation Of our last names can be challenging Harboring a jumble of Consonants and vowels Without rules But we need to remember That each last name has a proud past And each name has a future. If rudely pressed for an explanation I sometimes describe my last name as “American” Clearly stating That my great grandparents immigrated from Europe Over a hundred fifty years ago And we’ve been here ever since. In this day of fluid identities My answer seems somewhat vague and evasive And occasionally met with arched eyebrows From people I hardly know But it stops them from asking additional questions As I feel under no obligation to say more After all Didn’t we all come from somewhere else?