I Am
by Hedy Straus
I am from the sacred Heart of Jesus
buried deep inside a kreplach
I am from jelly donuts after mass
on the way home from shul
I知 from matzoh
and the Irish soda bread of affliction
I知 wandering in the desert
looking for my catechism class
I知 from my bubbe in Tereisenstadt
and my zayde in Auschwitz
My first holy communion dress is stained
with bloody magenta borscht
I知 Police Chief Callahan痴 great-granddaughter
I知 the shiksa at the bar mitzvah
the kike at the communion rail
I知 from the Straus family
500 years of us in Germany
Mein yiddishe Daddy
the last of his line
got out with his life
and the seed of mine
I知 from this man and the gentile girl he picked
for his Madonna/his Mary
I知 from this Mary Culliton
I致e got her Irish voice in my throat
I知 using it now, and loud
to chant Kaddish for them both
to call to them, to myself
to gather us all
all the pieces
in one place
2002