Delight My Diet

By Abd al-Hayy (Daniel) Moore

Each year a segment of my time on earth turns dry
and takes me to the far edge of my life
I turn from food and drink and lust of eye
(and making love in daylight with my wife).

Each time it comes the passage becomes clear
that thrusts me forward to that day of death,
but there’s a sweetness that’s beyond compare
(greater than the rankness of my breath).

As something that’s like ease, a strength beyond my will
sustains the difficulty, makes the day all right
creates a lake inside the heart that’s still
and casts a golden glow upon the night.

Each year it comes, my dread turns into quiet—
hardship becomes ease, delight my diet.

Abd al-Hayy (Daniel) Moore has been publishing books of poetry since 1964 . This poem was originally published in The Ramadan Sonnets, A Jusoor Book from Kitab/ City Lights, 1996. It is posted here with his permission. See more at www.danielmoorepoetry.com.