Paper Cranes

“untitled” by Rebecca Amdur-Kass

 Paper Cranes by Marley Boss

My mom learned how to make paper cranes from her grandmother.

On a train traveling through the Japanese countryside.

Despite sitting side by side

The language barrier seemed to keep them on either side of the ocean.

Until my great grandmother made a section of a bridge out of a napkin.

Connecting her to my mother.

She turned the ordinary napkin into a paper crane. 

Though they  couldn’t use their words,

my mom understood her movements

Following in her steps she began to create a crane

With each fold, a new piece of the bridge seemed to form.

Until finally two carefully crafted cranes met in the middle.