December at the Muslim’s House

By Sally Zakariya

Paper stars shine in the next-door window

red and green for Christmas, lacy white

snowflakes

 

At the table our neighbor and his wife ring in

the holidays, wrapping presents, cutting out

decorations

 

double-fold paper, snip out diamonds … fancy

shapes … scraps falling free, patterning

the floor

 

Their son practices his piano lessons

harking to herald angels, calling all

the faithful

 

No stars and carols in our house this month

no wreath or tree festooned with lights

but still

 

frost drew crystalline stars on our window

this morning, bringing icy sky down

to our room

 

bringing my Muslim man and me our own

winter nest for dreaming the oneness

of the world