The first child, by her naming, split
the family, Italian grandmother
against Germanfather. Sixteen years now, she sits
in her grandmother’s room, remembering
summer visits:the dark house; her grandmother in
a white slip in the Cleveland heat; the smell
of Brach candiesand Pall Mall cigarettes. The sound
of the screen door. Mariah’s grandmother
calls her by hermother’s name. She begs for one more
cigarette, tells the family secrets,
swears Mariahto endless silence. Mariah
closes her eyes, listens to the murmur
of night nurses.She hears the screen door swing. The old
woman grips her hand to aching. She breathes
that city heat.
Mariah Means Death in Italian
One response to “Mariah Means Death in Italian”
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the “grandmother” said to me that a “black mariah” meant a hearse in italian american culture and this would curse her because of the words proximity to death. i laughed and said i thought the name was beautiful and quite unique. she threw a plate with a stuffed pork chop on it at me while i ate. glass flew everywhere. i kept eating and eventually, i told her the name had been discussed between the parents, of which i was one. it had been registered with the city and wouldn’t be changed based on superstition. i also told her she was free to call her anything she liked. she chose mariah.
it did not split the family but it was a big deal for a while. it all occurred before mariah and her mother came home from the hospital. other things did split the family for which i am largely responsible.
i dont know who the german was. her grandfather was hungarian (100%). he never complained. i am a mongrel made up of irish, english, french, welsh and german. if the person you speak of is the same i knew she is italian (25%), hungarian (25%), english, french, welsh and german (total 50%). and as for the grandmother, she was sicilian, not merely italian. huge difference. to those who care.
accuracy might not make as good of a fictional poem. but it shows some concern by the writer and the truth has a certain beauty. at least to those who were there. imo.
bb
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