Judith Skillman
Because of the Holocaust
I jump from the train. The Japanese
are reclaiming their island. My grandmother
carries her satchel. I lose a package.
My shoes disappear beneath a seat.
The interrogators board and begin
to ask. In the sky a sign of welcome
comes from Schwarzenegger.
The fist spells welcome in many
languages. I recall my husband sleeping
in a box.
Judith Skillman is the author of Came Home to Winter (Deerbrook Editions, 2019) and 15 other poetry collections. She has received grants from Artist Trust & Academy of American Poets. Her poems have appeared in Poetry, Cimarron Review, Zyzzyva, We Refugees, and elsewhere. Visit judithskillman.com.
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