The feast that marks the ending of the fast
Of
Ramadan is twenty-one days past,
And Musa sleeps. His brothers do as well,
And all the men who in the same house dwell
Sleep in a single room each in his place.
They share the blankets as they do the space.
Though one man has two blankets as a mark
Of his position as the patriarch.
For Musa's father leads the clan and sect
And is a cleric worthy of respect
Throughout the town. For people far and near
Accept his council and each Friday hear
His sermon for the Muslim holy day.
His words inspire them and their actions sway.
The women slumber in the other room
And snuggle close together in the gloom
With fewer blankets than the men enjoy,
And these they share with every younger boy
Who has not reached his seventh year of life,
And any girl too young to be a wife.
