Our Friend Daniel, in the Lions' Den
05.29.2012
Kaaren Kitchell & Richard Beban in Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore, Paris Life, friendship, lions, poetry, poets

 

Our good friend, the poet Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore, is a frequent contributor to the Paris Play dialogues that accompany each post. I've known him since we lived in Berkeley in the late sixties, and am sorry to hear news of his health worries. At the time of this post, Daniel just entered the hospital for the first of three chemo and 35 radiation therapy sessions. The prognosis is good, and his family and friends are hopeful.

This post, which contains his recent poem, is a prayer for Daniel, a thank-you for his contributions, and request for our friends all over the world to offer up prayers to him, whatever your religion, or lack of same. Atheists, agnostics, pagans, all can play.

 

 

THE LIONS' ARENA

The lions' arena

is full of medical equipment

 

The roar of the lions is the

great radiation ring whirring

 

The crowd leaning forward with

thumbs at the ready

 

wears chemotherapy gowns

 

It’s a hot day

and a restless hum is in the air

 

The masks of everyone’s faces

are beginning to slip

 

As we enter naked and

shackled the

 

crowd is hushed

 

The outcome is anyone’s guess

and God’s to toss into the

 

arena’s dust we’ve

been since birth

 

waiting for this moment’s

test

 

There’s no signal to start

all is already closing in

 

A star glimmers overhead

for each of us

 

wanting the best

 

Our hearts have already

entered paradise

 

and come to

rest

_____________________

5/28/12 (from Down at the Deep End, in progress)

 

Photo (c) 2012 Malika Moore

 

 

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