3 Ramadan

  WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN 

 When the sun goes down
 the flood begins. Lettuce leaves open like orchids
 in spot lit clarity,
 bread flowers, fruits mature and drop.
 Grass green as emerald
    flows with the
          currents of the sea.

 This ovoid earth
 turns through dark and light,
 its flesh drowsing
     or aching awake with the
   cool night or the
        hot day. It fasts and then

 feeds on fresh breezes and
   deep tropical
           currents of the sea.

 The garden we planted next to the house with
 seedlings already started in little green plastic boxes
 is pushing up and out by that
    cunning combination of
 sunlight and water that warms and
     soaks the soil seeds live in, in their
 green slow­-motion rhythm
 parallel with the curling
           currents of the sea.

 And when we fast during daylight hours, we turn
 the whole thing upside-down. so that
 day becomes night,
 but we walk through the
      visions of our sleep and
      interact with
     other wide-awake sleeper
          going along their
           rounds ill tile humdrum currents of the social sea.

 And when the sun goes down
 the earth opens up for us,
 day begins, we break our
       fast, and
    enjoy the feast
       most flowingly,
 the table is spread, dishes are
 piled with glistening dates, water-glasses
 beckon refreshingly. The

 night is on a slow barge down a
     long river on its
  gradual way to join
       the glimmering
            currents of the sea.