Mama lifts up the lantern and smiles examining it in the living room light What a wonderful piece of art Salma A great way to celebrate the arrival of our holy month I based it on my own memories Salma says She remembers seeing al mesaher walking the alleyways of Damascus right before sunrise His son walked beside him sleepily holding a real lantern in his hand to light the way Al mesaher knocked on a little drum to wake people up to eat their suhour the pre fasting meal Do you think al mesaher will come to visit us in Vancouver Mama Salma asks when Mama returns the paper lantern to Salma Maybe your Baba comes here he will be your personal mesaher 3
Knock knock knock knock knock Mama taps her knuckles on the coffee table then sings Wake up and eat suhour let Ramadan visit you Salma giggles Now off to bed young lady Mama says You have school tomorrow In bed Salma closes her eyes and wishes for Baba to come here soon Vancouver has been a beautiful new home Salma loves the seawall and its many seagulls She learned how to skate at the ice rink and she looks great in her purple rain jacket But there is something missing that she can't figure out Is it how much she misses Baba Is it how different this city is from her hometown back in Syria She isn't sure In her dreams Salma walks the streets of 4
Damascus with Baba He wears a red fez on his head and a long silky shawl on his shoulders Let's go celebrate Ramadan's return together Salma Baba says He holds his little drum by his chest and knocks on it Knock knock knock knock knock
