Bilingual Poetry - Exercise Response

Saluti da Morolo

I am from Roma, Calabria, Nuevo Mexico
From Challah, Pasta, Posole
I am from the CinguaTerra, Safat, Albuquerque and the ancient Torah called
El Testamiento
I am from the agapanthus of Monet growing on monastery paths
The pathways of stone surrounding Morolo the home of my ancestors
whose long gone limbs I remember
As if they were my own.

I’m from Jew and Christian
From the Vaticani to the Temple of the Cohanem
I’m from shema yisrael Adonai eloheynu Adonai echad and Our Father who Art in Heaven Hallowed be thy name
Padre Nuestro que esta en los cielos
From Andiamo, Andiamo, Andiamo

I’m from Pistolesi and Guillmente where
thousands of islands sit in the majestic St. Lawrence
Home to me in childhood
Home to the newly married immigrants
Another home away from the distant shores of Italia
Another home away from facisim
Another home away from inquisition

Shalom Aleichem, Buon Giorno, Buon Giorno, Ciao, Adios

-Sara Bernstein