My Jewish Grandmother

[deryk]

My Jewish Grandmother
is Catholic now,
lapsed indefinitely.
Assimilation rolls its bug eyes.

I always wondered at those
photos with the dusty menorahs
framed so black and white
across from the cup of Christ
and the rosary.

But now that I'm older I understand
that there will be no Festival,
no Christmas Eve,
no trips to Israel or Ireland,
neither haggis nor gefilte.
And though I love her dearly,
her only traits to pass along to me
are a receding hairline,
and an uncanny longevity.

[Hawkman]

Neither fish, foul nor good red herring as they say. Good poem though, deryk.

Live and be well - H

[Delta40]

Excellent wit Deryk and the subtle suggestion of how many roads we do indeed travel down across a lifetime.

[Jerrybaldy]

I particularly enjoyed the last stanza Deryk when you dragged me fully on board, having lost me a bit with the bug eyes. My sympathies of course for the hairline but way to go on the longevity my man.

[deryk]

Neither fish, foul nor good red herring as they say. Good poem though, deryk.

Live and be well - H

Why thank you Hawkman. :)


Excellent wit Deryk and the subtle suggestion of how many roads we do indeed travel down across a lifetime.

Much obliged Delta, and of course the answer to that question is always "feels like too many, but is never enough!"


I particularly enjoyed the last stanza Deryk when you dragged me fully on board, having lost me a bit with the bug eyes. My sympathies of course for the hairline but way to go on the longevity my man.

Sorry, I felt like stepping outside on that first part. And Hahah, it isn't bad really, I'm just exceptionally vain. And I do look forward to outliving every ******* I know by a good decade. :)

[Jerrybaldy]

You will be a lonely old ****er Deryk. We all lose our charms in the end, but the eyes live on.

There is always a christmas eve once you have believed in one.

[deryk]

You will be a lonely old ****er Deryk.

My friends are telling me that already at 26. I'm content to outlive them at this point.




There is always a christmas eve once you have believed in one.
You're absolutely right, and that's absolutely my hangup. Every time I believe in something, reality laughs in my face. Believe me! I'm trying to laugh back even harder!

[Jerrybaldy]

I have rasied my children to believe that christmas eve is the best day of the year. anti ci pa tion is the bit before your reality laughs back. Anything is possible before it happens. Poetry is eternal anticipation.

[deryk]

Well said.

[Delta40]

I raised my kids to believe that 26 December is the best day ever......can't beat those sales...

[IceM]

I agree with Delta's appreciation of your wit.

Perhaps a receding hairline and uncanny longevity, especially the latter, is necessary to good living.

[PrinceMyshkin]

There's something slyly wonderful about the last line reference to "uncanny longevity" which, I think, turns this essentially light-hearted poem in a serious direction as if to say, if we live long enough, we'll get to betray or outlive all our various creeds or badges of identity.

[deryk]

I agree with Delta's appreciation of your wit.

Perhaps a receding hairline and uncanny longevity, especially the latter, is necessary to good living.

Thank you, IceM.


There's something slyly wonderful about the last line reference to "uncanny longevity" which, I think, turns this essentially light-hearted poem in a serious direction as if to say, if we live long enough, we'll get to betray or outlive all our various creeds or badges of identity.

Thank you, Prince. I suppose I'm still cynical about my grandmother having already been down that path. It's something to look forward to.