Morning Prayer
In a poor Istanbul neighborhood,
at the ground floor of our house,
my great-grandmother says:
It is time for morning prayer.
If you pray, she says, pure as a child,
from this corner of the room,
an angel will appear.
I am five years old closing my eyes.
Allahü Ekber.
Essallamü alleyküm ve rahmetullah.
I am fifty opening my eyes.
In Boston, Massachusetts,
in a not so poor neighborhood
at the top floor of our house
praying my morning prayer.
From that corner of the room,
my great-grandmother appears.