Force

By

have i

been dead

or just asleep?

walking around aimless

breathing…

hearing, seeing, thinking…

but numb.

why does it take

lightening

and thunder

to wake one up,

to snap one 

to attention?

to open awareness 

stimulate assessment

bring laughter

bring tears

bring one

to one’s knees?

you

are a power–

a force

a statement of reckoning,

a truth.

you are a blizzard,

a tornado,

a forest fire,

a tsunami!

and i

am bits of earth

fluttering

in the wake

of your

approach.
Linda Tauhid

©1/18/20

Alex

By

it was January-cold

when

he left.

amid a winter

that touched Houston

as well as

Boston.

and rides through

frozen streets

with frozen tears–

frozen through the years

of being shed,

frozen by harsh days

and nights

and years

of living

and seeing death.

i don’t know why

i am selfish and mean.

while he

was so good

and generous.

and now he lies

waiting–

but not cold;

warmed 

by the love

of many admirers,

four sisters,

and 

good friends.
Linda Tauhid

©1/5/20

John and John

By

i don’t know where

you are John;

i don’t know where

you are

John.

but i am listening to

Coltrane 

this morning

and i remember

the respect

that you had

for the masters.

while i, then,

was just a young

neophyte

positioning myself

as cool

before the message

and the magic

transformed me too.

and now i fill

my Sunday mornings

with music

and memories…

having reached so far

from that starting place

that put

us all

together;

compressed

by time

that dims

as well

as sharpens;

that

takes

as well

as gives–

under the auspices

of The One

who sees

and knows

it all.
Linda Tauhid

©12/15/19

love

By

love

is all

i had then…

love is all

i

have now.

it is a gift

from the Creator

stored

in the heart,

unfettered by bias

or reason;

it springs free

when provoked.

love has wings

it flies of its own volition

and lands on fertile

or desolate grounds;

being recognized

or ignored,

remembered

or forgotten.

Love is all

i had then.

Love
is all
i 

have

now.
©Linda Tauhid

12/12/19

For Roy (Roy Hargrove)

By

it is mesmerizing

how you speak

so eloquently

through

your instrument.

you live!

through the notes

of fire

and water

and blues…

i would have missed you

had you not been

so brilliant,

so diligent,

so committed 

to leave such a legacy;

a catalogue of amazing

collaborations

and expressions

to remind us

that you were

and that you thrived

in service

and

in love.

you live!
Linda Tauhid

©11/16/19

October

By

fall colors

Pumpkins and squash

slowly fading days

longer languid

nights

degrees of heat

leaving the air daily–

it is October.

memories of

New England walks

and the bite

of the new chill

boots, scarves, jackets…

and soon to come

the gray of

November

the aromas of its feast

the festivities

of December;

and my times

in other climes

with equatorial sunsets

and coastal baths

on New Years day.

traveling through 

December rain 

in London

to get home–

to get home,

to

get

home…
Linda Tauhid

©10/8/19

North Africa

By

i have missed North Africa

in my travels

and now i long for

its cultures

its dry warmth.

i have missed North Africa,

its ambience,

the ripe smell of its markets

its people

its music

their artistic displays

of food and wares

its waters

its desert sands.

the sounds of the

muezzin’s call,

the hawkers, the tingle of

clanking jewelry.

but for me

no more time

and few travels left

so all that i have are dreams

and remembrance

and khol-eyed tears

staining my spirit

for all i’ve done,

all that i still

long to do;

all that i’ve lost,

and for all

that i

have

forgotten.

Linda Tauhid

©9/22/19