Immigrant Gifts, a haibun by Ingrid Bruck

Granddaddy Uno speaks chipmunk: they eat bread from his fingers. Nana Aili is trilingual: sew, knit and crochet. Aunt Mary speaks bird: when she walks outside, a white ibis follows her. My mother Alice, fluent in three languages: books, babies and men. 

My immigrant grandparents from Finland brought special talents. My mother Alice's gifts are different from the other's. She asks her sister Mary, "Do you think I’m adopted?"

tarnished thimble

the winter landscape

empty