Hashalom

Shirley Galant, July 2, 1931 - March 24, 2025

She said kenahura
which meant finally
or thank God

She said trugazunt
whenever she bought me new clothes
and then translated
Wear it in good health

Gonifs were cheats
A miaskite was ugly
A macher was a bit shot
Meshpuchah—family

She wasn’t particularly Jewish except for this
No Shabbat candles
She couldn’t read Hebrew
and had no use for prayer

But whitefish salad, she knew from
And these words her parents spoke over their kitchen table

Hashalom she used to say when mentioning those parents after they had died
Like an honorific, or a sigh
Hashalom, Mom
Rest in peace.

Shout-out to Ross Gay at Mondays are Free for the prompt.