Grace

there is Grace

abundantly

distributed

throughout

this universe;

but for some

it can be hard

to 

find.

in a short ride

this morning

i saw so many

needy 

and

in trouble.

tents are pitched

at night

under the

overpasses

and people walk

hungry, unwashed, and destitute.

i saw

this man

playing his violin

with his family;

what a talent

and what dignity

in making a living

if no other way

can be found.

a cat has taken to sleeping

in the shade

under a bush

outside of

my window;

i greet her/him

when i see him/her.

i’m sure

she/he has no home.

i never turn away…

i am too close;

held up

only by Grace.

so i bestow

no angst upon others,

only love and prayer

no superiority–

i only shed

the tears

of the troubled

and honor

my human and animal

cohabitants

no matter

what

their

state.

Linda Tauhid

©9/28/21

Josiah

i met him

the day

he was born.

small & red;

asleep & tired from the ordeal

of birth.

i was almost afraid

to hold him

but i knew

that i must greet him.

when he gained 

a bit of strength

i would get him up

on his legs

and sing dance tunes

to him:

“Do You Love Me”

by the Contours

and such;

and I would simulate 

rhythm and dance moves

while he stood

on

my lap.

soon

he knew my voice

and he would dance

when he heard it.

i found that he liked

percussion

so i gave him two spoons

and let him bang

on my pots.

his mother, 

who is Belizean,

bought him

a keyboard;

i played the masters for him:

Baba Olatunji,

Mongo Santamaria,

Poncho Sanchez,

Max Roach,

Art Blakey,

Idris Muhammad.

he asks for me now:

and comes to visit me

and i make him treats.

and let him walk free here

exploring, watching movies, 

playing on his pad,

climbing into his indoor tent.

and of course

we dance together–

him, self supporting

on two strong toddler legs.

and me

me still busting

a few diminished moves

while

i watch.

he may never become 

a percussionist,

but maybe he

will remember

me

and

the stories

of

his foremothers 

and forefathers

as told

through

the 

dance

and

the

drums.

Linda Tauhid

©9/24/21

Phil

If it’s soul

I probably like it.

Philly,

Motown,

Southern,

Northern,

blue-eyed,

or black.

the music

is a mechanism,

a format

to transmit emotions,

states,

conditions

and consciousness.

and of course

it represents

the heart.

“I’ve Been Tryin”

(an old Curtis Mayfield (Impressions) tune)

is covered here

with

skill,

love,

and aplomb.

by a master drummer

and arranger

who is aging

and weakening

but still

a man of soul

who happens

to have

blue eyes.

and who clearly

understands

the mechanics

and the genre

of the music

that he makes.

Linda Tauhid

©️9/23/21

https://youtu.be/tTmEXVgp8aw

Autumn

i like

the ways

the days

are changing

longer shadows,

later mornings;

how many more

will I see?

early sunsets,

cooler air;

warm breakfast,

morning walks;

how many more

will I see?

and the winter—

from sandals to boots

retired straw hats

to felt fedoras

and scarfs.

I’m tremendously honored

to live this again;

and

to write

some simple words

and call them

a poem—-

how much

longer

will

I

be?

Linda Tauhid

©️9/23:21

Baba—A Love Poem

it’s a good time

to talk to you

since you have now

left the 

earthly plane.

and although

that may seem strange,

when one is here

one is constrained

by time

and ego

and neither of these

necessarily foster

truth.

a failed assignation,

crossed signals

something as mundane

as

traffic…

and at the time

i just waited to see

if you would/could

rise

above it.

my wise son

advised me

that there was little distance

between

our (yours & mine)

spiritual vantage points,

but i

was not sure.

so I let the possibilities

fade away

in to the netherworld

of time.

the last time

that i saw you

i looked up from my reading

in a restaurant

and you were scowling

in my direction.

maybe justifiably

but also notably disturbingly…

i am headed to

your memorial today.

you, a widely respected elder

and

a man;

me, a silent seer

who writes her truths;

and

a woman.

Linda Tauhid

©9/18/21

9/11

i will never die;

my dreams will outlive me

they have become mainstays

of the ether

monuments of solid rock

a Stonehenge 

of remembrance;

a mount Kilimanjaro

of force.

i live

a queen in the tenement 

of an aging body

still hoping

for the dreams

of

the 

young

and still listening

to Joni Mitchell

and writing poetry

whilst

i

sleep.

Linda Tauhid

©9/11/21