Tears

Tears
By Ruhudeen Ali
June 29th, 2016

Everywhere I look, everywhere I turn

I see our cities burn and my stomach churns

When I see our brothers and sisters die

Suffering oppression, we suffer depression

Hoping for the day we make a positive impression

But that's falling on deaf ears my brethren

Cuz blind eyes turn a blind eye when I cry

But when I die it's only seen by my kind

And our shared struggle

is only shared within our bubble

Trying to juggle our identities, 

figure who's a foe or friend of me 

It's tough, who do we trust?

I'm getting snears on the train and bus

Told to 'go back to my country'

Or face the marines in humvees

pointing RPGs at my family overseas

Or better yet rednecks with tecs in Tennessee 

Cuz back home we're getting blown 

And shown who to fear, explosions on the TV

I swear to God none of these people are remotely like me

Or anyone I've ever known

I only know the kindest souls 

But what they show is the devil's hoe

So hateful that they kill- two, three, four birds with one stone

It's calculated in the code, they wanna see us grow cold

and take up one of our own to perpetuate the ode

That "Muslims are evil" and repeat the cycle

But I'm telling you we can't give in

The devil's trying to win 

violent people's patience is thin

and I'm afraid the tears are just beginning

Dear God we're lost from sinning 

Have Mercy Lord cuz I'm thinking

It's hopeless but I believe in your greatness

Watching your plan unfold is dopeness 

But it's still with tears that I wrote this

So please fix our broken wishes.

Blood

Blood

By Ruhudeen Ali

It's blood for blood 'cuz 

y'see blood only wants more blood 

Can't you see? They want more to bleed, its in their creed

'Attack their seed! Cuz blood won't say 'peace,' 

afterall, they want us deceased

Hot blood murders in cold blood 

murdered for a senseless grudge

When the One up above said 'Love' 

But they killed it, our blood, they spilled it

and now they won't be satisfied until rivers flow

of what used to make us grow

But now, No --- blood will flow

flow in the East, flow in the West

North & South they can't be routed

Voices shouting, touting, while the meek suffer defeat

the future's looking bleak...and so I bleed

cuz bombs and drones kill but make more clones

killing in droves like when Hitler used the stoves

as history repeats itself, or so I'm told

that's how the story goes

And I can only cry because they want our tears too

They want us to fear and when we denounce

they don't even hear nor do they see

remaining calm like the sea 

no longer guarantees safety

our flesh is tasty so they backbite

bigots with bayonets give us bullets and death threats

and pundits with bets on headliners readin' 'Who's next?'

I'm vexed cuz I'm a peace-loving being

and everybody in my community too

but the only priceless blood here I'm seein'

is of a White or a Jew

but our blood and tears are just water

that's why it's the juice of slaughter

its easier to stomp the grapes

like raping our daughters and moms

dropping bombs on St. Johns and Uncle Toms alike

Blood is a savage in the night

Blood loves to fight

Blood loves to lust

Blood hates to rust, and so it flows

as history repeats itself, or so I'm told

and that's how the story goes....

Whirlpool

Whirlpool

By Ruhudeen Ali

August 27th, 2013

"Oh wow! they're so cool"

watch them go down like fools

circles and circles amuse

spinning around in this whirlpool

"They've got some nice thoughts"

"and it's nice here on their yacht"

"I wonder what more they've got?"

"To be his? Have I got a shot?"

The girls wonder, as the water level rises

but they're still bedazzled by mens' surprises

peel the masks to see the guises

they're in the ocean of compromises

And the yacht moves along the crashing waves

everybody goes for what they crave

nobody here is brave

they will soon be in their graves

And the vortex finally takes shape

unknown to the party of apes

busy in their fineries and crepes

upon the deck of disgrace 

Now the vessel picks up speed, heading for the center

the girls regret having entered

the men were just pretenders

traps for the opposite gender

But now its too late, the yacht is circling down

everyone aboard is wearing frowns

thinking why did they follow these clowns

it will soon be their time to drown

The ship nears the bottom of the sepulcher

the waves tear apart the yacht, what's left of her

all because they accepted the offer of lucifer

they lost sight and chased after the ephemeral

An allegory to illustrate the power of false charm

without thinking, you can be lead to great harm

be careful who you accept that extends his arm

the prairie is deceptive, be happy in your barn

Oh now they're so cool

watch them go down like fools

circles and circles confuse

sinning around in this whirlpool

Eternal Questions

Eternal Questions

By Ruhudeen Ali

August 21st, 2013

Who am I and why am I here?

What is this anxiety, this unsettling fear?

What is my purpose, why was I born?

Am I special or am I the norm?

What makes me human, what is our role in this world?

And would it matter if I was a girl? 

What is this place, our planet Earth?

And is it true I was made of clay and dirt?

Are we alone or is there life out there somewhere?

Does it even matter, should I even care?

Who is God and why are we told to have faith?

And does He mind that over Him we debate?

What is religion and why do we follow rituals?

And is it ok to just be spiritual?

Why are we judged by which path we choose?

Is it black & white? Win or lose?

Is there a place such as Hell & Heaven?

Will we all be forgiven, believers & heathens?

Is there an afterlife after death?

Or should I make the most of life with whatever's left?

Will we see our loved ones again after they’re gone?

Are fading memories all that’s left to hold on?

Why are there different divisions of people?

Why do we hurt others and treat them as unequals?

What's the deal with status and social classes?

Don't we all eat and wipe our own asses?

Why are the powerful so high & mighty?

Don't they realize that they were once tiny?

Why can't we solve our human problems?

Or is it that some groups benefit by not solving them?

What is love and how do you find it?

And once you find it, how do you keep it?

What is freedom and oppression?

What is happiness and depression?

What is death and what is life?

What is comfort, what is strife?

What is a life of meaning?

What is scheming and dreaming?

What is finitude and infinity?

What is creation, what is divinity?

What is the truth, what is the lie?

What are the answers, we haven't got the time

Will we ever come to know?

Or was it all just a process to help us grow?

Maybe we already have the answers that we need

Maybe all it was, was a tale of a sprouting seed.

I think I Forgot How to Cry

"I Think I Forgot How to Cry"

By Ruhudeen Ali

May 27th, 2013

I think I forgot how to cry

Water running down my cheeks' sides

I think I forgot how to cry

I remember it was revealing my tender side

I think I forgot how to cry

Involving connection to something greater

I think I forgot how to cry

Like the moment I found my savior

I think I forgot how to cry

When feeling pain and hurt

I think I forgot how to cry

When my face is in the dirt

I think I forgot how to cry

Over what I allowed in myself to die

I think I forgot how to cry

Falling short of values on high

I think I forgot how to cry

When wishes go unmet

I think I forgot how to cry

When something is wrong I can't detect

I think I forgot how to cry

When love was first put to the test

I think I forgot how to cry

And when it was laid to rest

I think I forgot how to cry

The love that could never be

I think I forgot how to cry

And how it hurts to remind me

I think I forgot how to cry

When saying your final goodbye

I think I forgot how to cry

Saying "I'm okay" knowing its a lie

I think I forgot how to cry

From feeling pain inside

I think I forgot how to cry

Accepting failure after I tried

I think I forgot how to cry

From life's precious moments

I think I forgot how to cry

When speechless with condolence

I think I forgot how to cry

When innocent people die

I think I forgot how to cry

When victims of injustice decry

I think I forgot how to cry

At the sad human condition

I think I forgot how to cry

When I forget my purpose and vision

I think I forgot how to cry

Having lost my sense of pride

I think I forgot how to cry

Searching for something special inside

I think I forgot how to cry

When reminiscing the better days

I think I forgot how to cry

When accounting before Judgment Day

I think I forgot how to cry

When convening with the Divine

I think I forgot how to cry

I'm demeaning with time

I think I forgot how to cry

When brooding over past misdeeds

I think I forgot how to cry

When I can no longer weep

I think I forgot how to cry

Water running down my cheeks' sides

I think I forgot how to cry

I wonder why? ::sigh::

"Muzzies"

"Muzzies"

by Ruhudeen Ali

May 17th, 2013

I see you and smile, with a beard on my face

you think I beguile searching me for a menacing trace

You see, we have to represent positively for our people

though in a negative light, you see us all as equals

As terrorists and fundamentalists- that's all the picture you see

its not hard to see why you're not friendly with me

but bro I don't know a single violent Muslim

I could care less about fighting the "infidel," let alone kill him

Don't get it twisted, terrorists are wicked

and I stand against them, in spite of who is depicted

on the media and TV, they got the wrong profile

probing our community, I think they should search a new locale

You see it ain't us that's starting wars

or using suicide vests nor planting bombs in cars

think of who it benefits and follow the trail

open your eyes and see the devil's lair

No Muslim with faith could ever do these crimes

cuz this is not jihad- nor sanctioned by Allah - The Sublime

some evil people are in this world with an agenda

claiming they want peace but behind the screen they're just pretenders

Allah the Most High says "Make not mischief on the Earth"

but they don't realize they're the ones spreading the hurt

to them its all about making money no matter the cost

even if it means killing other people, with their souls lost

And guess who's the number one victim?
Muslims- that's who. But how come they don't depict 'em?

"hey gotta catch that boogey man in the sleeper cell

and while we're at it might as well make some contract sales"

So before you judge our community as untrustworthy 

learn about the life of Muhammad - the praise-worthy

he taught that if a Muslim left his neighbor hungry

while he got his own fill, he was not a member of this community

Islam shows us the importance of humanity

so please distance us from this insanity

I do not need to defend my religion

cuz those with open minds will see its peaceful vision

To those who hate us, we pray for you

hoping God cleanses your hearts anew

cuz you see we're all sisters & brothers

struggling together as a single human body

with time you'll realize there is no "other."

Weeping Planet

Weeping Planet

by Ruhudeen Ali

May 12th, 2013

Chop down these trees

we need more factories 

acres upon acres in miles of greed

cuz you see they're stackin these

with more mouths to feed

that exotic cuisine not that mac n' cheese

they mack and make cheese

roll up their sleeves

industries seeking G's

so bullets they squeeze 

at the animals in leaves

chop off their heads 

leave their bodies to bleed

in livestock farms consecutively 

kill the poultry it aint nuthin- its paltry

we need more leather for upholstery

and beef for our teeth

We say we want peace 

but we just want our piece of meat

like depleting the world's fisheries

what about the birds & the bees

not sexually- I mean the species

we call our sweeties 'honey'

but honeybees sufferin lately

thanks to pollution from our luxuries

and our need to chase the money

mankind killin off species

piling up our feces

new diseases- how do we treat these?

i'm saying please reconsider your itineraries

Dwelling only on our human dramas

what about the pandas & iguanas

big cats might disappear

maybe within fifty to a hundred years

dog is man's best friend cuz he doesn't bark

unlike some scary ones, that's why we kill the sharks

and what about the dolphins and the whales

forget about them man- focus on the jails

destroying the environment

saving for retirement 401ks

not saving 401k kWh on Earth Day

digging mines & blasting mountains

for man-made projects, paradises with fountains

not realizing we're terrorizing the planet

corporations approve and stamp it

destruction of ecosystems

ensuring we'll be the last of them

puffed up in our egosystems

claiming we're the victims

why do we hate mother Earth

when we were created in her womb from the dirt

going back one day to lay in rest

we were sent here to be the best

life is a test and we're the vicegerents of this home

lets work to fix the roof in our ozone

I'm not really sayin anything that hasn't been said

lets revive the planet before life on Earth goes dead!

Madness, In Our Name

By Ruhudeen Ali

February 6th, 2013

No need to explain, forget the blame 

just watch the game, be entertained

yea, it's a shame

when there's madness done in our name

So sad to see the suffering of the weak

but it will all be forgotten by next week

'Once I have this, my life will be complete

next month perhaps, I'll repeat'

'I can hardly think with these parties and drinks

its too much to connect the dots and links

besides, why dwell over what stinks

and try to solve the riddle of the Sphinx?'

'I have people to meet

relationships to cheat

cuisines to eat 

and my own foes to defeat'

'I know those higher ups are involved

but I have my own problems to solve

somehow it'll all be resolved

Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta get to the mall'

TV shows, movies, games and fashion

dedicate yourself to some obsession

change the channel on the tension

forget even the mention, get back to your passions

In a world where what's practiced and preached

are conveniently breached

the truth we seek's discovery

is up to each

The price we pay to remain persons lay

is freedom's voice that once held sway

in the face of tyranny's stay

we paint our faces grey

There are those we hurt and injure

with the signing of our leader's signature

can we remain immature

when there's responsibility to explore?

'So to all those who face our uniform

get used to this new norm

you were warned by the labels from the shrapnel on our bombs

and we still apologized to your moms'

'Now can we just get back to the way things were?

When I didn't have a conscience that would stir

and now that condolences have been offered

can I get back to my intoxicants and lovers?' 

'Your life or my life, that's what its about-

he who has the upper-hand in this bout

if the tables were reversed, I'd be the one to shout

but you coming to my aid as I helped you? I doubt'

So indeed why complain? Things will change

give it time, just watch the game

be entertained, yea its a damn shame

when madness is done in our name.

Ran'dem Rhymes vol. #16

By Ruhudeen Ali

December 29th, 2012

I wonder why everything is notorized

why social-networks use my info to commercialize

but its also useful for domestic spies

no more warrants, just one-click to subscribe

and follow me when I socialize and fraternize

they wanna globalize their probing eyes

put terms of service so its legitimized

I don't really care I just parenthesize

and minimize what's less important

and get back to philosophize

proselytize and publicize my views

my people have been stigmatized

and victimized by the yet to be criminalized

abuse that we tax-payers subsidized

I'm traumatized cuz mommas cried

over senseless homicides and suicides

when will these issues ever subside?

we're living in extreme times

get back to the middle in other words the ides

Mankind's divide- why're we all so polarized?

hate results in colder eyes

why people try to colonize each other?

squash the beef and pulverize

whether Anglicized or Islamicized

it doesn't matter how you categorize

your size or worldview side 

its compromise, the devil tryna dramatize 

and demoralize, we must be civilized

humanity in one picture-frame mentally picturized

but wars militarize and brutalize

one group against another that's demonized

rackin up bodycounts cuz they're desensitized

to the military-complex industrialized

or the 'War on Terror' as its stylized

bombs and tanks kill helpless people terrified

the fact they hide

that war is terror, only victims realize

Don't sweat when they ostracize and scrutinize

and charge you with lies like you're ionized 

don't aggrandize lest you get bastardized

stay true don't apostatize 

keep the faith even if you're marginalized

its okay to cry as long as you tried

to change the world to humanize 

eventually the tears will vaporize

by the burning desire to get to the prize

 devise, organize and enterprise so you can monetize

but don't monopolize give others a chance to try

the apple pie's not only for I n I 

 Surprise! Surprise! The world will try to hypnotize 

to break the spell just look em in the eyes 

falsehood despise, does all that coughin' cover up the lies?

Reflect on your demise,

cuz coffins break up good ties, got us saying 'goodbyes.' 

Guerillas In The Shrub

by Ruhudeen Ali

Of the twenty-one soldiers in the unit to maneuver with

Pvt. Po is now the most useless;

always making bad decisions

forgetting his original mission

when releasing captives his aim was to relieve

yet other times when doing so it led to grief

most of the time sitting there looking smug

uniformed & camouflaged,

hanging around just to see what's up

while mostly hungover, he often threw up

'he's not ready for war' says the Commander

'he lives for no purpose great, unlike Alexander'

though he was not always this way

Po was once a hero in his day

once given a mission only he could fulfill

he was given two helpers, he knew the drill

They were three musketeers, always looking for a ride

Corporal Po, causing trouble for his buddies by his side

like guerillas in the thick shrub searching for light

fighting to release their friends was their plight

Cpl. Po sought a cozy retreat to seek refuge in

so he could form his organization

with the aim that membership grow

and allow the seeds of tomorrow to flow

but at the time the fight was intense

and the number of soldiers dying, immense

finding the base was difficult

so they searched for the supply line like an umbilical

thinking it would lead to the fortress

Once discovered, they had to seize the chance

it was a delicate dance

capturing the base would give them an audience with the Empress

allowing her to concede so they could conceive peace

but the orders from their general were to infiltrate, not negotiate

yet the fortresses' walls were impregnable

and so the three retreated, dishonored & ashamed

mission failed- they returned scarred & maimed

they could not look up to their dreams the same way

thus they were demoted to privates again

And now the three stooges- Harry, Curly & Po

are never put on assignments anymore

they party up their days on army pay

always together, some even wonder if they're gay

but they're just three buds who could've had it all

but instead they lost the battle, and succumbed to the fall.

Palestine!

Black for the darkness of a desperate occupation 

White for their mourning & lamentations 

Green for the peace for which they pray

Red for the blood wherein their heroes lay

Palestine!

Ran'dem Rhymes vol.#15

By Ruhudeen Ali

October 12th, 2012

Can I get a few scraps from the landfill of love

or is it overrated, just an ant-hill lookin' down from above?

Piles of discarded emotions start to reek

with no where to go so we go out to seek

more food of love til we become fools of love

and those who get none increase their love of food

chasing after moods writing poems about the moon

but it's all for naught, that's some food for thought

thought is my food I get fat on what was taught

I learned that what you dream of, some people toss away

everyday, somebody gets what you could only wish for

and you'd never imagine they'd be this bored

meanwhile you sit on top of things others wish they had

but you just shit on it, like a toilet

boil it, heat it up and eat it

with barely any words of gratitude to speak of it

the things you take for granted someone out there needs it

like the needs you have someone else done discard it

"Life is a plate man, gotta eat what you can

then trash the leftovers," nobody gives a crap

about the scraps you coulda had off their plate

"go out there man and satiate!"

is the message of my culture

but forget being a lion I can't even survive as a vulture

a scavenger of love who gets none

and forget physical, I'm talking emotional and spiritual

I'm hustling out here stuck in my rituals

sort of similar to biblical but its quranic

fixing people's love while being lonely, isn't it ironic?

And sorry Alanis, I never bought your cassette

cuz I was focused on singing about the opposite

in other words, serendipity

but instead of good luck I got the other end that of pity

malware corrupted up my system

saying prayers to try to fix 'em

fearing the blue screen of death

but the brother of the screen got me fallin' asleep in heedlessness

I wanted to make a change to impact it all

but my plan was apparently too impractical

I need guidance so I can gal-dance

with the woman I love

nowadays that's why I'm either lookin' down or up above

cuz I need some love from the Creator who is like none of the above

yea I got up from the shove the world had thrown me

now I'm just tryna do me and grow me

but mostly alone cuz I'm runnin' out of homies

I'm not tryna say they're phoney cuz I love 'em

but they barely have the time to telephone me

plus some of them are in different GMTs & zoneys

every now & then askin' if I'm talking to some sonis

but my response is usually the same baloney so I'm left alone G

thinkin something's fishy like he's not wearin cologne G

sorry I gotta say this but to all the haters you can blow me

erect a plan like Zhuge Liang's Longzhong, that's what she said

create something amazing and leave behind a legacy

something to be proud of after the death of me

I thought this day I'd never see, the future I can't foresee

I'm not one to prophesy but just wanna profit-see
materially and spiritually, so I can get with the program
and be the man with my ma'am on instagram
settle down and start an instafam
but i'm trying to slow it down 
reverse a frown & quit bein' a clown
cuz you gotta learn the patience of Ya'qub
if you wanna be that dude.

The Price of Humanity

By Ruhudeen Ali

September 6th, 2012

Yesterday I wanted eggs

to power my skinny legs

today I crave for chicken

as my body begins to lengthen

Years of supervision and play
sleepless nights with no pay
just to see me smile and be gay

I need a hundred pounds of meat a day
just to be bred and raised as a vicegerent of clay

But I have to build the mind before the spirit

and before the mind comes the body

so feed me tons of things

and do the same for my kin

Kill life to feed and grow mine
and destroy their homes that I may build mine

and rip off skins of animals to cover mine
and pillage the Earth to discover ores

to make tools to help with my chores
all these things I need of worth
just to make this all work

But wait, I still have more demands
I need a house and cars, plus trips to the sands of Qatar
I need an education to aid my contemplation
I need comfort in my deprivation
I need richness for meditation
that I may finally attain to that exalted station-

Still not there yet, the truth hasn't set
you see, we are the products of the sacrifices bled
for being in charge of this Home that was meant
to be the seat of vicegerency
incalculable is the cost to raise humanity

So you have to be the best that you can
it was the reason so much was given to you from the lands
for this high price we were raised
and the only way to pay back is to be worthy of praise

So reflect over all that went into making you
and secure yourself against what goes into breaking you
and live by what is best in the most honored hue
and praise God for Whom all praise is due.

The Destined Path

By Ruhudeen Ali

6/9/12

I wandered around this land feeling lost, confused

not knowing how to find my path

searching for a lost road, I assumed,

I might make a new track

Many travel on their paths with confidence

not looking back or around for signs

relying completely on self-competence

guided by their unfaltering minds

It's no wonder then, that I am the one lost

For in truth, I no longer have that confidence

I once loved to hear myself talk

but now I see behind the veil of pretense

Blinded, I fell off my road

left to wander in the wilderness 

my mind began to mold

and my situation looked hopeless

'Til one day I realized the Lord's Call

I understood why I was so confused

He was reaching out to me all along

this bemusement was just a ruse

Now I know I cannot wander aimlessly

I must follow the map given to me

To come back to the Lord's path

I shall sacrifice ego happily

So fellow traveler, I say to you

do you still think you follow your own way?

the path is really only one, though it seems as two

our paths converge with His anyway, remember Judgment Day.

When Time Is Done With Us

"When Time is Done with Us"

By Ruhudeen Ali

12/12/11

The peculiar thing about the passage of time is that when we're young we focus on getting through the year so much so that our days pass by unnoticed. When we're older we focus on getting through the day so much so that the years pass by unnoticed. What you focus on stays in sight, what remains in the periphery slips by unannounced. What you wish to speed up passes ever slower and what you wish to slow down passes yet faster.

While burning aflame 

the firewood sees not the pyre wane 

But when the fire is gone 

And the smoke remains alone

What care do ashes have in which way they are blown?

When the fire is gone

The days and nights will moan

And everything and nothing goes wrong

Swaying to and fro, either way I mourn.

When time is done with us

We realize over what we fussed

But all that was, was enough

When looking back, why'd we ever scoff and lack trust

When all that ever was, was but a moment with love?

"All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter"

All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,

A light from the shadows shall spring;

Renewed shall be blade that was broken,

The crownless again shall be king.

-J.R.R Tolkien

Legends

By Ruhudeen Ali
(2006-'07)

Legends are born riders on the storm;

from society torn, scorned and left alone

by rejecting the norms

their minds' shapeless of forms

only to return with corrective reforms

ascending the throne while yesterday unknown.

Fix

"Fix"

By Ruhudeen Ali

November 4th, 2011

These thoughts are so rusted

These eyes are so tired

This body needs repair

Has the hope gone expired?

The excitement is so short

The pain is predictable

Regret retorts

The cycle is inevitable.

This feeling is so abused

The suffering seems endless

I am so confused

I do not pretend this.

The cure is so distant

The answers are lost

Yet the questions are persistent

Living on, but at what cost?

This scene is oft-played

The soul needs a prayer

This body has quickly-aged

Still it tarries toward despair.

This place was once scary

But now its home to this purpose gone rotten

To this weary body the pain is so normal

That the cure is now forgotten.

Layers of Love

By Ruhudeen Ali
October 24th, 2011

Love me as a slave

I'll be your servant, that I may love you as my mistress

then let me be your chief

so that you may love me as my harlot,

therein lies the design of power and lust.

Love me as a subordinate

I'll be your laborer, that I may love you as my superior

then let me be your manager

so that you may love me as my worker,

therein lies the nature of duty and justice.

Love me as a fan

I'll be your groupie, that I may love you as my idol

then let me be your role model

so that you may love me as my zealot,

therein lies the rubric of attraction and admiration.

Love me as a student

I'll be your pupil, that I may love you as my teacher

then let me be your mentor

so that you may love me as my apprentice,

therein lies the essence of reverence and adoration.

Love me as an equal

I'll be your brother, that I may love you as my sister

then let me be your best friend

so that you may love me as my peer,

therein lies the fundamentals of friendship and respect.

Love me as a companion

I'll be your lover, that I may love you as my wife

then let me be your husband

so that you may love me as my spouse,

therein lies the cornerstone of fidelity and partnership.

Love me as a child

I'll be your son, that I may love you as my mother

then let me be your father

so that you may love me as my daughter,

therein lies the blueprint of guardianship and compassion.

Love me as a sinner

I'll be your devotee, that I may love you as my saint

then let me be your sheikh

so that you may love me as my disciple,

therein lies the foundation of grace and devotion.

Love me as a minion

I'll be your worshipper, that I may love you as my goddess

then let me be your lord

so that you may love me as my follower

therein lies the mystery of worship and piety.

Love me as a creation

I'll be your servant, that I may love you as my God

then let me be Your vicegerent

so that You may love me in my imagination,

therein lies the plan of love and existence.

Everyday

By Ruhudeen Ali

October 15th, 2011

It's the thirteenth hour in the hermit's lair

I raise my sleepy head

I eat what gluttony has time to prepare

In view are these swaying trees and starry nights.

The sleepy bird gets no worm, just more sleep.

Business in the marketplace, first thing

You see, my industry is entertainment

Story-telling and errands by day

Dreams and pastimes by night 

Forgotten by the morning.

Constantly on the stay, I slowly catch hedonism's headlines

In my embroidered sheets and decorated bed

Tired, I read the hollow pages

"Now then, how many nothings happened today?"

Relationships just get in the way

I understand, you see, I'm a busy man myself

Who has time for romance when there's lust?

See here my important matters, see how consumed I am

and yet see what is missing.

In the womb, kicking with resting

In the world, patience with comforts

In the after-world, questioning with anxiety

And more resting.

Therefore, do not make my tombstone tall

Nor trouble yourselves over eulogies

My junction with time is brief

My life of sub-stance, null.

Just do me one favor, if you will

When it’s my time

Let it be known that I toiled and struggled hard.

*Note - My apologies for the ugly-spacing but for some reason I can't undo these errors without a great deal of annoyance. Please bare with it, thank you.