History, Handed Down Samuel, my great-grandfather From Poland, originally
Moved to New York Young and handsome A talented craftsman
Printer and bookmaker He worked hard Had a family
Identified as Jewish - In certain ways
He padded books
Inserted Hebrew newspapers
His unique trademark And other things
A scroll case His signature piece For the Pope
The year, 1925
Accomplished, I imagine I wouldn’t know
We never met
Connected by stories Died too young He was 45
100 years later We are linked Through artistic lineage -
Our Jewish roots Knowing only bits Stories, twice removed
My dad said... My grandma said... These stories, golden
We are similar He and I Both printers, bookmarkers
In the DNA A coincidence, maybe Besheret, more likely
I honor Samuel His life lived Deeply impacting mine
Uniting two strangers History, handed down