RUMANIA RUMANIA

My grandparents sang this song

of their homeland: Gypsy music,

lyrics of mamalige, kashtaval,

karnatsi, pastramala and patlazele.

They left for America

before the Iron Guard

began murdering Jews

in the Bucharest

slaughterhouse.

Disemboweled intestines

displayed like neckties

on corpses hung on meat hooks:

“Kosher Meat”

I

Flowers brightened American homes.

Louis Vuitton silk ties looked smart.

Gold cufflinks blinded the eye,

Stetson fedoras on sideways

after too many bottles of Glenfinnich.

Trilogy Quad stocked wine cellars.

Macanudo cigars lit up jowly faces.

Kids rode Shetlands, played croquet

on the lawn, and clematis and wisteria

climbed a trellis in a manicured English garden.

For a chicken in every pot,

banksters need wars.

Good for business.

Lose lips sink ships.

Farben and Krupp got their money.

Hitler danced a gig,