La Madrugada
 
Oatmeal
 
August 4th
 
Where are you going?
 
Sunset Trail
 
Richie
 
Ancestral Crimes
 
Peaceful Here
 
First Day
 
Early Morning Prayers
 
Feline Wisdom
 
Yellow Canyons
 
Edge of the World
 
Silver Weaver
 
Grace
 

 
Baklava 

Baklava:
Paper thin layers of
Philo dough, drizzled with
Honey, laying on 
ground nuts.
Tiny bites of
This sweet sticky
Treat slide down
My tongue into
My belly with
Sips of hot arab coffee.
Arab music wafts
In an out of my awareness
In the background
Of this Jaffa Coffee shop
Arab Music. Arab Coffee.

It’s noon, the high sun
Shrinks my shadow. 
Ten men on the corner stop their tasks,
Sit on stools, pull out prayer
Books, rock back and forth.
Mumble. Pray. Rock.
Mumbling. Praying. Rocking. 
The world has stopped.
One of three times a day to pray.

Jaffa. City by the Sea.
Baklava, Arab coffee,
Praying on corners.
 

 Diane Sherman   /   March 2008