Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore: The Slow Orchestra of the World

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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)

The slow orchestra of the world comes to life

in the dark dawn

beginning with the birds

The room fan purrs back and forth

pushing away heavy air

Somewhere my soul in all this

sits up and takes notice

Which is more elusive and

runs away faster

the matter world or the spirit world?

My face stops some of the air as it

blasts against my body

Now a bird outside salts the dark

with liquid sweets

I shall die in this position

listening to everything
                                                            7/27
 

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: 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

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
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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)