Walk To Morning Prayer

Posted on August 2, 2006 by hijabman

Cairo, 2002.

Don’t want to miss the call
a hurried walk in the dark
soldiers on every corner
dressed in black
gotta raise my hand, _sabah al-khair_
good morning
to the car washer enjoying a smoke
after a long night of work
maybe he’s getting ready for Ramadan
that morning cig will be his last
till sundown in the coming days
Dodging a water-filled pothole
I turn the corner
only one streetkid this morning
stretched out beside the warm exhaust vent
wonder what he thinks about day to day
Up the steps of the “pizza hut” mosque
Hand on heart, Assalamu alaikum
Wishing peace
to the keeper, always kneeling in the same spot
It’s foggy in here, the windows are open
Across the Nile, the mosque looks different,
the silhouette of a man atop the minaret
is facing me
Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar…