Polar Bears

My grandmother was German and a little heavy-set
in her old age,

the pages of beauty and sorority days
followed with six children and three

jobs to keep them clean and well-groomed.

She was an immaculate housekeeper,
and told me how with three jobs and six kids,
that didn't keep her from waking up every morning to
sweep the floor and keep the beds.

We called her "Muzzy" bear.

She liked to give hugs and collected
polar bears.

I called her everyday and cried when
she died.

We missed the funeral because of traffic.

However, I decide to honor her by
loving myself, I look a lot like
her at my age.

She looked Jewish like her "Muzzy."

Germans with light skin and dark hair
run in our family.

I am a Jewish mother, a homeless man told me once.

He was in his 40's and asked if he could be my son.

I was thirty years old and I agreed.