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The slow orchestra of the world comes to lifein the dark dawn
beginning with the birds
The room fan purrs back and forthpushing away heavy air
Somewhere my soul in all thissits up and takes notice
Which is more elusive andruns away faster
the matter world or the spirit world?
My face stops some of the air as itblasts against my body
Now a bird outside salts the darkwith liquid sweets
I shall die in this positionlistening to everything
Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore (b. Oakland, California, 30 July 1940 -- d. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 18 April 2016): The Slow Orchestra of the World (27 July 2007), from The Sound of Geese Over the House (The Ecstatic Exchange, 2015)
![Daniel abdal-hayy moore]()
Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore: photo via The American Muslim, 29 November 2012
![Renowned poet Daniel Abdul Hayy Moore reading at his home]()
Poets Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore and Ni'mah Nawwab reading after dinner at Abdal-Hayy's home in Philadelphia, 19 May 2012: photo via Ni'mah Ismail Nawwab, 24 March 2014
![Spring weather Apr 19th 2016...A ship sits out in the North Sea near Tynemouth beach, North Tyneside, just before sunrise. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Tuesday April 19, 2016. Photo credit should read: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire]()
A ship sits out in the North Sea near Tynemouth beach, North Tyneside, just before sunrise: photo by Owen Humphreys/PA. 19 April 2016
![Spring weather Apr 19th 2016...A ship sits out in the North Sea near Tynemouth beach, North Tyneside, just before sunrise. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Tuesday April 19, 2016. Photo credit should read: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire]()
A ship sits out in the North Sea near Tynemouth beach, North Tyneside, just before sunrise: photo by Owen Humphreys/PA. 19 April 2016
![The Wider Image: In search of Don Quixote...The arid central Spanish region of La Mancha is the setting for “Don Quixote”, the seventeenth-century novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Four hundred years after his death, references to the characters of Don Quixote, his loyal squire Sancho Panza and his beautiful lady Dulcinea abound in the surrounding villages from sweet treats to theatre productions involving livestock. Cervantes did not give away the name of the birthplace of Don Quixote, a middle-aged gentleman who becomes obsessed with chivalrous ideals. But many identify the village of Argamasilla de Alba as his hometown. The anniversary of Cervantes’ death is marked on the 23 April. REUTERS/Susana Vera SEARCH "QUIXOTE VERA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "THE WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Matching text SPAIN-QUIXOTE/]()
Dear Tom and Angelica:
22 February 2016
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10 March 2016_
Still here, now bedridden, spirits high and longing for my meeting with my lord. My prayers for you and Tom continue unabated. All love
Abdalhayy
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Rehearsal of the Pasdeloup Orchestra at the Cirque d'Hiver: John Singer Sargent, 1879-80, oil on canvas, 57 x 46 cm (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)
Rehearsal of the Pasdeloup Orchestra at the Cirque d'Hiver: John Singer Sargent, 1879-80, oil on canvas, 57 x 46 cm (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)
beginning with the birds
The room fan purrs back and forth
Somewhere my soul in all this
Which is more elusive and
the matter world or the spirit world?
My face stops some of the air as it
Now a bird outside salts the dark
I shall die in this position
Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore: photo via The American Muslim, 29 November 2012
Poets Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore and Ni'mah Nawwab reading after dinner at Abdal-Hayy's home in Philadelphia, 19 May 2012: photo via Ni'mah Ismail Nawwab, 24 March 2014
A ship sits out in the North Sea near Tynemouth beach, North Tyneside, just before sunrise: photo by Owen Humphreys/PA. 19 April 2016
A ship sits out in the North Sea near Tynemouth beach, North Tyneside, just before sunrise: photo by Owen Humphreys/PA. 19 April 2016
Windmills at dusk in Campo de Criptana, where Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes might have drawn inspiration from to narrate the battle between Don Quixote and the windmills he mistook for giants: photo by Susana Vera/Reuters, 19 April 2016
![The Wider Image: In search of Don Quixote...The arid central Spanish region of La Mancha is the setting for “Don Quixote”, the seventeenth-century novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Four hundred years after his death, references to the characters of Don Quixote, his loyal squire Sancho Panza and his beautiful lady Dulcinea abound in the surrounding villages from sweet treats to theatre productions involving livestock. Cervantes did not give away the name of the birthplace of Don Quixote, a middle-aged gentleman who becomes obsessed with chivalrous ideals. But many identify the village of Argamasilla de Alba as his hometown. The anniversary of Cervantes’ death is marked on the 23 April. REUTERS/Susana Vera SEARCH "QUIXOTE VERA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "THE WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Matching text SPAIN-QUIXOTE/]()
Windmills at dusk in Campo de Criptana, where Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes might have drawn inspiration from to narrate the battle between Don Quixote and the windmills he mistook for giants: photo by Susana Vera/Reuters, 19 April 2016
Windmills at dusk in Campo de Criptana, where Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes might have drawn inspiration from to narrate the battle between Don Quixote and the windmills he mistook for giants: photo by Susana Vera/Reuters, 19 April 2016
Sad day for us here, bringing news of the passing on the other end of the continent of a beautiful poet friend and local son, first met here on this same coastal hillside nearly a half century ago, and always palpably alive in spirit for us over these past years, an abiding, uplifting, luminous presence. Friends of this blog will remember Abdal-Hayy for his many charming, joyous, playful contributions (links to some of which may be found in the comments section below). The brightness, thoughtfulness and extreme generosity that characterized the man remained active till the end, and his final messages. He is and will be much missed.
Dear Tom and Angelica:
First, how are you doing?... As for me, well, new test shows that the cancer is in my bones. A lump on my scalp that grew in size, though hardish (too many ‘ishes in this note I fear) and finally needed a CT scan. I’ve been sore and weirdly overcome with weakness and dis-agility. (What word exists for agility lost?)
But spirits high... so things are all OK by us.
Though the message may be dire,
where’s there’s smoke
there’s always fire.
More later my brother and beloved Angelica.
22 February 2016
__
Dearest tom and Angelica
I seem to be dying after all. Cancer in my bones. Now in home hospice care. Body dwindling, spirit blooming.
I continue my prayers for you, until I can't. All love
Abdalhayy
10 March 2016
Still here, now bedridden, spirits high and longing for my meeting with my lord. My prayers for you and Tom continue unabated. All love
Abdalhayy
23 March 2016
Rehearsal of the Pasdeloup Orchestra at the Cirque d'Hiver: John Singer Sargent, 1879-80, oil on canvas, 57 x 46 cm (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)