Journal of Italian Translation - Brooklyn College - Academic Home ...

Journal of Italian Translation
November 6, 1945
Thousands throng the Grand Concourse
on crutches and wheelchairs,
others double park cars
drop to their knees in the street.
Their faces shine from the rain
falling like silt in the wobbly street light.
They arrange rosaries, flowers,
votive candles in the shape of a cross
under a stone cliff along 207th Street.
Every evening, a seven year-old boy
claims to talk to the Madonna,
who wears celestial blue
robes and a white crown.
It is said his touch has cured the blind,
removed cancerous rashes, healed
war wounds, helped polio victims
walk for the first time.
Suddenly he appears
pale-faced, eyes half-closed,
perched on the shoulders of his uncle
hair bouncing in ebony ringlets.
His face lights up
from hundreds of candles.
He lowers his head
and begins to pray.
Somebody yells that the rain
hasn’t wet the boy’s face.
Somebody else lets out a riff
of mocking laughter.
A gust of wind snuffs out the candles.
The crowd surges forward
grabs at his hands,
begging for a strand of his hair,
tearing the buttons off his coat.
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