MY FAMILY'S BANSHEE

It is not really a matter of shame
That my family's banshee sets to wailing
When one of us is about to die
But I find it puzzling. Banshees are Irish
While my father's folk were Polish Jews.
Having a dybbuk would be more regular
(And, in fact, we do,  it having replaced
One of my cousins years ago). We are,
Usually, long lived folk so the banshee
Often waits years between engagements.
When my father was dying it spent days
Wailing and washing clothes in the duck pond
Behind the town library; the ducks -- a surly lot --
Complained to the Library Board which,
Out of respect for the books my dad had read
And because banshees have talons, voted
Six to four to do nothing whatever.