An old friend of mine–I mean old–he is 96, sent me some poems recently. Ed Galing, from Hatboro, PA. still writes– from a wheelchair, blind in one eye, suffering from a variety of ailments that come with the territory. Galing grew up on the Lower East Side of NYC, that at the time was a home to many Jewish immigrants, and immigrants from all parts of Europe. Some years ago I published a book of poetry of his “Poems from a Tenement Rooftop” (Ibbetson Street Press). Over the years Ed has been published in hundreds of journals and he was recently profiled in the Philadelphia  Inquirer. Yes– Ed sent me some poems…  here is one of them.  He wants to leave a little bit of history before his big sleep.

Ed Galing with journalist Susie Davidson

Soon

lest we forget–
as we move on–
don’t forget
the lower east side
the pushcarts,
the peddlers
the haunting chants
from the ancient
hebrew schools.

don’t forget…
immersed in all those
private lives
that there
was no milk and honey
on those streets
but a safe haven
for jews
who were
persecuted
for the act
of believing.

i write
these little poems
as I go into my 96th year
and soon
i will join the dust
and no one
will be left
like me
to remind
anyone
of how it used
to be.

– Ed Galing

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