I DON’T UNDERSTAND THIS POEM! HELP?

I don't understand this poem, but I need to write an essay on it. I'm not asking for anyone to write me an essay or anything, but just to help me understand the poem better. My teacher told me that it's about Japanese Americans during WWII who were asked to sign papers to see if they were loyal to America. PLEASE HELP ME ANALYZE AND INTERPRET THIS POEM, AS WELL AS THE FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE USED IN THE POEM!!!

THE QUESTION OF LOYALTY by Mitsuye Yamada

I me tthe deadline
for alien registration
once before
was numbered fingerprinted
and ordered not to travel without permit.

But alien stil they said I must
forswear allegiance to the emperor.
for me that was easy
I didn't even know him
but my mother who did cried out
If I sign this
What will I be?
I am doubly loyal
To my own people. How can double mean nothing?
I wish no one to lose this war.
Everyone does.

I was poor
at math.
I signed
my only ticket out.

Tagged as: alien registration, allegiance, figurative language, japanese americans during wwii, mitsuye yamada