Friday Mornings in Cairo

Cressida Cane

When you come from the West

And you think of Islam

You perhaps think about wars, and ladies covering their faces, and a strange language, 

But I am from the West, 

And I live in the East, 

And when I think about Islam, 

I think about Friday mornings in Cairo. 

And how, for a few hours before midday, the city is finally, fleetingly still-

sleeping bodies still in their houses, dogs still laying, nothing rouses.

And how, since yesterday's sunset and yesterday's Mahgrib, that Lady Cairo has quietened; shhhh, she says: shhh, calm down, it is nearly Friday.

Friday mornings are sacred here.

We sleep in, soundly resting knowing that no-one and nothing else is awake either. 

Supermarkets are empty, streets are solemnly sleeping. 

And so we- the outlanders- acquiesce; absorbing the quiet that has fallen like a blanket of fog over an otherwise boisterous metropolis. We sit, and we listen to the silence, and respect the muting of activity that Friday mornings demand of the society we exist in. 

At midday, the Azaan calls: and the city springs to life again- adhering to their duties, honouring their callings, celebrating their civilisation. 

And we know it will be noisy again- 

Until Friday, before midday, when Cairo sleeps in. 

 

  • Author: Cressida Cane (Pseudonym) (Offline Offline)
  • Published: December 11th, 2022 14:33
  • Comment from author about the poem: Friday mornings are the only time in Cairo that you will find some peace.
  • Category: Unclassified
  • Views: 6
  • Users favorite of this poem: L. B. Mek
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Comments +

Comments1

  • L. B. Mek

    (Brilliant!
    a great write, reaching beyond
    the toxic propaganda battle lines
    to depict the humane reality, veiled
    behind agendas and divisive politics..
    thank you for sharing, dear Poet)..
    without 'the east'
    (we must be careful of our reliance
    on western tailored history's
    maps, dates and terms)
    civilisation
    would have missed out
    on algebra
    on algorithm
    on Aristotle,
    how about functioning toilets
    whilst the west's, waste
    was still being dug outhouses
    or
    'select' Egyptians being buried
    along with their flat packed warships
    (before sweden ever had an ikea, idea)
    while the west was making a breakthrough with its river boats,
    and the list goes on...

    • Cressida Cane

      Thank you! Yes, we are from "western" countries but raising our children in the Middle East, and it is not what everyone thinks it is. Human side, indeed. I am mostly interested in that part.



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