Cairo 6 am
by Meredith Johnson
The third morning: you are awakened
by the call to prayer. Sleepy and terrified,
you stumble into the bathroom
and brace yourself against a linoleum sink.
Neon light illuminates your face in the glass.
You hadn't known he was there, God, caught
in the nest of your heart. You'd been thinking
he was free. Now, you see the lights flick on
in window after window all the way down the street.
Everywhere in the city, women are rising
and dressing for prayer, releasing God
for another day in the world.
The water sloshes from your glass.
You stare into the mirror, horrified,
God beating wildly in your ears.
