Birth Day

today

is his birthday.

he came to me

through gentle pain

and medical

mistreatment.

the doctors assured me

that I had been properly

medicated

and anesthetized

but I felt it

when they cut me

and each stitch

that they sewed

afterward;

but they kept telling me to

“put my butt down!”

and continued to sew.

I was just hoping

that my baby

would be big enough

for me

to take home

unlike his brother

who partially gestated

in an incubator.

I am proud of him

(and his brother)

both

tall, handsome,

prayerful

and principled.

they tower over me

with love

and laughter

at my folly

of trying to be

a mother;

but just bearing them

honored me

with that title;

that I now hold

with

joy

and

the wonder

of

it

all.

Linda Tauhid

©️5/22/22

Le Fate Ignoranti

sometimes I am so subdued

and silent

that I forget

about me

or love

or the the necessary

nutrients

for living;

until i hear

the voices

of

the angels

shattering

all

illusions;

reminding me

of

the infinite value

of

my

worth.

Linda Tauhid

©️5/17/22

https://youtu.be/v2eSQ50TM0k

Linda

…and you know:

i’m getting this

online newsletter

called

The Emancipator

i’m sure Linda signed me up

for it

hailing from Boston;

she always gives me gifts

to stimulate

my knowledge

and intellect;

a subscription

to Writers and Poets Magazine,

(and hopes that i will

hurry up

and publish something)

or

an interesting article to read

or just some down home

Louisiana/Boston

wisdom

(minus the cooking);

and so i survive

with memories

and tidbits;

not nearly approaching the

power or satisfaction

of the real friendship

that we had

and that

sacred ground

that we

traversed

for

so many

years.

Linda Tauhid

©5/11/22

Najwa

we were young collegiate(s)

learning

and exploring options.

the day that i saw her first

she was standing near Mission Hill projects

probably doing some community work

while at Northeastern University.

i

was a student

living with

my grandmother.

when i saw

her–

tall,

statuesque,

and clearly 

full of love,

laughter,

and life.

we were all searching for 

‘the way’

and by ‘Grace’

we ultimately ended up

in the same place

(Islam)

which was just

the beginning

of our journey.

i married

and moved to Rhode Island

and then

to Chicago and beyond…

i remember Najwa

how she looked as a bride

still tall

but slimmed down by

fasting

and that one-meal-a-day regimen.

and thankfully Allah SWT

created a like soul

who saw her inner and outer beauty

and claimed her

as a lifelong mate.

i wasn’t around

to see the children come

and grow.

i was busy staking my own claim

on life, 

responsibility, 

child-rearing, 

travel

and continuing education.

but i was never far–

although i may have

been continents away

the remembrance

of that large, vibrant, glowing

aura

reactivates

my memory

and speaks to me in the clarity

of beauty,

love and

dedication;

with a steadfastness 

that i

in my own journey

would love

to know.

Linda Tauhid

©4/28/

Laylat al-Qadr

it is day

but i

search the Night of Power–

Laylat al-Qadr

i am no good at night;

my minuscule power is 

spent

in days of reading, fasting,

and sleep.

i know 

the time of that great hour

will not come in the day

but my torn heart

is open/bare…

it has been

for most of

this lifetime

although

i have hidden it

in folly

and dreams.

but i still pray

as today’s weak sun

shines

that my soul

may catch a glimpse

of that great night

through the fog

of weariness

into

that great

light

of peace,

salvation,

and hope.

Linda Tauhid

©️4/23/22

4th of July

it

was so full

then–

Ma

and Daddy

and siblings

driving to a

Cape Cod beach;

sitting on sand

and mother-fed

chicken

and potato salad

and yellow, chocolate-

frosted cake.

the summer-warm

salty water,

the sun

that did not burn

our skin

seasoned by generations.

Daddy

and Uncle Charles

the navigators

of the day–

my cousins close by,

some of Wampanoag parentage…

family–

encircled with food, 

love and warmth.

we are of ocean people–

fishers, swimmers

‘waders-in-the-water’

washers,

drinkers,

ship-riders,

ocean-crossers,

far from home…

who brought

the gift of love and

joy and,

faith,

with rhythmic music

and food-of-the-soul

and hearts

of Independence,

to these Atlantic waters

and beyond.

Linda Tauhid

©7/4/17

For my late mom Dorothy (Dottie) born 4/18/1919

Reprinted from 7/4/17

Linda Tauhid’s Journal

Fasting

there is no food here/
no water

only air;

the fruit flies

hunt for food

they visit me

while i sleep

peeping at my nostrils

lighting on my lips

to steal a taste

of the sweetness 

of the morning dates of suhoor*

it is quiet;

the energy to run

and play

has subsided amidst

the long days

that we are counting…

victorious at each success.

as the world spins

and Kilauea (volcano) spews her fire

reminding us

that to live, to love, to believe 

we too

must burn.

©Linda Tauhid

6/3/18

*suhoor is a transliteration for the pre- fast meal of Ramadan.

Reprinted from Linda Tauhid’s Journal 6/3/18

Attention

i want 

your attention–

to

be

your first thought.

i want your mind

to like

my mind

your heart

to love

my

heart

and to be

in touch.

i want

synchronicity,

simplicity,

alignment,

love

in a transparent

form.

i want to be

up there

with the angels

near

the House

of

God–

in

His

Light.

its got to be

right

with

us.

and i know

i can get there…

can you?

revel

in the truth?

love

without

proof?

exist

in

that space

of 

The Divine…

heart to heart

mind to mind;

i want 

your 

attention.

Linda Tauhid

©3/20/22

Shaun

i remember

you sat with me

on that stoop

at Pine Ridge Drive–

such a rustic name

for such a dreary

reality.

i was so lost,

drawn into a situation

that offered

a measure of safety–

but no hope

and 

no love.

you told me that

i should meet your wife

(Cheryl) RIP–

i don’t know

what you saw

a tired, angry, defeated

spirit

that

could use

a hand.

and many years

have passed

since then

along

with all 

the joy,

tragedies,

and atrocities

that we both 

know.

you are the best

of friends

a man of dignity

and 

gentle

power–

a lion–

a veteran

of this life

and foreign war;

a Celtic warrior

who still marches

and serves

with

valor

and

honor.

Linda Tauhid

©3/13/22

Shaun (right front) and company during his Vietnam deployment. Circa 1968

Fat Tuesday

i love it

when the tides

align.

yesterday i fasted

in this time of the penitent

(Rajab)

and I woke up

to find

that today

is Fat Tuesday!

my thoughts:

‘New Orleans,

a five and a half hour drive;”

my counter-thoughts:

“no hotel, cold after dark,

maybe ‘no’.”

so I fixed a fat breakfast

which I think I deserve

after

yesterday’s fast:

home-made hummus

topped by garlic bits

spiced paprika,

olive oil,

pine nuts,

and black

Chihuahua de Mexico

wood smoked sea salt—

on my favorite sprouted

flat bread.

definitely ‘fat’!

and then

I figured

the sun is out

it’s warming up,

there must be

some trouble I can get into

here

in

Houston.

a walk for sure,

lunch out,

maybe—

without a mask

(unless it’s a

Mardi Gras mask)

and just

a day tooling around

and tomorrow,

I continue

with the penitent

of Lent,

and the observers

of Rajab

praying,

fasting;

happy if…

happy if not…

Fat

Tuesday!

Linda Tauhid

©️3/1/22