It's the best part of the day

6 a.m.

birds fight outside my window

over a morsel of bread or rice.

--

I lie still,

listening to the hum of the street —

Taksi horns, bike bells,

the first rush of Istanbul traffic.

--

When I rise,

I breathe in the smell of simits,

fresh bread rolling through open windows.

--

She has made coffee again.

I don’t like coffee,

but I love her,

and the way she smiles after that first sip.

--

The balcony calls to me

like an old friend’s voice.

I sit in its open arms,

waiting for the call to prayer

to rise across the rooftops.

--

I close my eyes,

the city breathing into me,

and in this small hour

between her smile

and the first prayer,

I know I have everything I need.

______________

Thanks for reading! -- Sam