Carmela’s Song
                     
Carmela used to sing on Sunday
as she stood at the stove
to cook pasta for her family dinner.

She sang because it was Sunday,
the Lord’s day,
because she went to 7:30 Mass
at Saint Anthony’s, and Father
Sullivan gave her a blessing.

Carmela sang in her blue velvet dress
with the rhinestone butterfly pin.
She, in her only good dress,
her Sunday dress.

She covered her blue velvet dress
with a white baker’s apron,
to keep the velvet pristine.
But she would not change her dress
to cook the dinner,
because it was Sunday, a day
of worship. So she showed her
reverence to God in her blue velvet dress.

She sang because it was Sunday
and her children came with their
children to have dinner because it was
tradition.
She sang because the little ones
would rub tiny cherub fingers
over the smooth velvet sleeves
and make cooing sounds
because Grandma’s dress was so, so soft.

Carmela sang in her blue velvet dress
because the children hugged her tight
and said, I love you, Grandma.

She sang because they asked if they
could have a blue velvet dress like this
when they grow up.
Can we wear a dress like this when
we cook dinner for our family, they asked.

She sang for the blessings in her life,
for the good things God had given
to her.
She sang because she was in America,
where she raised her children in a good land,
a healthy land, where they were not poor anymore,
like in the old country.

She sang in her modern kitchen,
at her electric stove, making
pasta for the family dinner.
She sang because it was Sunday in America.