Glimpses of My Life

Glimpses of My Life

Jassim Taqui

The journey continues in pursuit of Renewal

Siham

Reminding of my first and supreme friend, the ever kind Siham,

The symbol of kindness, the goddess, the elevated, Buddha, Ram,

Magic touch at affliction, challenge, loss, defeat with a letter thanks,

Silence speaks with love and empathy, assuming the highest ranks.

Gul:

O God hide my feeling , let me see,

exposing my love to my beloved per se,

Hide the enormous affection inside my heart,

Though love, intense, warmth, does hurt,

Let my heart suffer so as to remember her,

All the time, all places, everywhere,

For she is so special so elevated , kind,

She's my destiny, inner self ,I can't hide,

Her smile, elegance touch inner core,

Can't forget her, rather love her even more. 

Ali Jassim

A towering figure, blessed, part of me,

Love you for ever, let all feel and see,

Blessed by the Lord of Ka'ba  from every side,

Angels shield him with me from, he's my pride,

The miracle was witnessed by all at day and dark,

Lifted by Lord to all heights.I heard His remark.

The 11th Rose

MY INSPIRATION comes from one

Whose name I proudly bear,

Who cushioned me whenever I fell,

And met my successes with cheer.

Who gave me life again and again,

Who nurtured me with care.

Who rejoiced in my happiness,

And wiped away my tear.

Deep roots of prophet hood has he,

His disciple I grew,

He fed me faith, he lit my life

With knowledge old and new.

His value inestimable

For all whose lives he touches,

He freely gives to all who seek

His ever-increasing riches.

For as he lives, he fathoms more,

He reads a deeper truth,

He profits from his mysticism,

And shares it with his youth.

As transparent as is the air,

He's one you can see through;

He towers tall with fortitude_

From him all strength I drew

Will I be blessed enough to make

My father proud, who knows?

For now, I can only present him

With this eleventh rose.

Widad Jassim is my only daughter and my love. She holds Master in

English Literature and Linguistics.  She teaches in King Sultan

University, Saudi Arabia. I wrote this poem for my daughter. To

understand it, you should know that Widad is an Arabic word ,

which means Love. Her daughter's name is Laeba, which means

"angel". Hence when I use angels, I mean her children. Rose means a

wish. My daughter sent me 10 Roses.

The 10 Roses:

Oh, my Love, to the Book of the Books, I sought,

Asking the Divine Writ to reveal a single thought,

Tell Love, I was told, she seeks the unseen world,

She and loved ones are blessed, your ground hold,

She knows not, nobody does, patient she should be,

Tell your Love : the Almighty is Great, with thee,

Let her fear not anything on earth,  be very tall,

He does bless and protect her, her angels and All,

Those who love her, who touch her blessed hand,

She's special, symbol of love, a totally new brand,

She's the shade of all colors, especially My white,

The symbol of peace, shining light  so very bright,

to every  direction, every prospect  to every sight,

to inner self, her roses are limitless, full delight,

Will always answer her wishes and beyond I may,

change destiny, the world, replace night with day,

I, the Merciful, am always with Love in My own way,

None but Me will govern, order, and spread My say,

Will tell the whole world, she is so loving so sweet,

She is My Mystic Sign, I bless, with honour I treat.

BABA by Widad Jassim

I feel for you the reverence for a saint

For your generosity, and self-restraint

‘Gainst those whom I am bent upon to curse,

Those lowly, wretched, vile, despicable curs

Who failed to see you for what you are worth.

When at Kaa’ba I first close my eyes,

I will see your face_ who otherwise?

Who else is Goodness personified?

If so some claimed before, surely they lied.

Praise be to the God who gave you life.

I met, too, such people as are fair,

But none so fair as you, I must declare.

You have taught me all there is to learn;

You deserve far more than what you earn:

The Accolade of The Exemplary Man.

All my tearful prayers on you I heap.

My very soul, Baba, is yours to keep.

Faith, I know, I need not you remind

Always help you light of day to find.

God Bless You with health and joy and life.

Blessed, I, to bear your sacred name,

Which brings to me happiness, fortune, fame.

In all the world, in all of history,

In all the times to come you’ll always be

The only father Love deems fit for all. 

Power of reading minds

In response to a discourse with Widad Jassim

The " ten roses"  thinks I'm extreme,

Knows not my power reigns supreme,

Knows not a time when she wasn't  conceived,

When I was homeless, lonely , utterly grieved,

When I felt trees, grass flowers breathe and shine,

I smelt, felt, read all around , I smelt great divine,

I wandered into the unknown and could find,

The code of life, the secret line, a real mind,

In this torturous journey, I could see,

A glimpse of my mind dancing free.

Divine gifted me a strange power but real,

Reading the minds, emotions, I do feel ,

Things come so clear like a written page,

though they thought I was in their cage!

A big facet, they failed to feel,

Human nature, so simple, so real,

No greed, no motives, no hidden force,

Simple, simplicity , normal in the core.

Could count all in and all around,

Could interpret vague words and mind.

Surely  I went deep into a mysterious brain,

Finding everything and how to sustain,

Free to enter, own the space and leave

None could stop me, interfere, deceive. 

Yearing for a look

(Translated from original Arabic.I wrote when I lived in Iraq in 1967

I retain the Arabic style of redundancy)

How can I live when part of me is gone away ?

Blocking my mind and tongue that I can't say,

How I love you, your serene face, your truth

That enlivens in me my best, my lost youth

How you bless, redeem all in the hour of distress

Heeling wounds, sufferings , making them less

With your charming smile, your ever care

That has become total, that all know, hear.

Message from Arabia

From the desert the  message will  arise,

Erasing hatred from earths and  skies,

That  forever the bells will   ring ,

Proclaiming the  birth of true spring,

Wherever my fellow human could be,

This song is  conceived to  thee,

Telling you my love  will never die,

Will remain solid, enduring and high,

Till  the  sun becomes   cold,

And  the  star  are  old,

And the leaves of the Judgment Book unfold ! 

Your colors

 I found her there in my dream

A gift from heaven, she seems

Full of  colors with solid themes

White for  fact, soul redeems

Red for feeling, her loved color

That I  do adore even  better

Black:  her  way to fight back

All evil  with her  own mark

Yellow her  unique optimism, air

Through it I see her everywhere

Blue for control far  and near

Without hesitancy, slightest fear

Green : her eternal love so high

In my heart , soul will never die

The message

When I read your words with care,

I know you're gentle, very fair,

Your kindness will remain higher,

Even as I suffer, sit on the fire,

My feeling will never be stumpy, low,

As long as He continues the show,

For I remain involve in my tale,

Searching for the clue without fail,

Till the last moment of stormy life,

Till events reborn, continues the strife,

Till the flame of life prevails one day,

Giving the missing wish in full display.

Abstraction

When I start  to feel , see universe  light

It  is  your  grace,  divine elegance

from  the  first  sight

It is you, so fresh   so full of  life

in the early  morning

standing before  my  eyes

like  a mirage

You are  tenderness  high

You  are an  angel

descended  from the  sky

You  are   darling  then  and  now

You are  a dream, so  fine

on the  dotted  line

In  my  heart

you  will always    forever  stay

light  of  my  life  , addiction  

fire  of   emotion , a  fiction

You are   everything,

my  early  strange   world,

far  infinite  long,

my  suffering, happiness

my  blessed   song

Your  memory revives  me in excess

marks  me for  life

beyond  my  guess

You've  frozen something in  me

love, affection, all  I can see

Your  love  stays in  my  heart

like a  seal,

Your  love is  life ,

a medicine that  can  heal

Love  you  more  than  anything

I'd ever seen or  imagined on earth

even  if  you  wither , fade  from  the  world,

even if you 'r   cold  ,  indifferent, rude  as  flood

I  would  still  go  mad,

Face my  God,

pray to   my Lord,

beg  heaven and  angels,

use  my mind, soul  and  senses,

crush my  ego,  pride,

seeking  all blesses,

sell my  remaining   time ,

end the story of  my life,

just  to  embrace

a  look on  your  tender  face

Oh, I  cannot   sense , think,  Mary ,  but  in you

no  one, no  life   on  earth   ever  replaces  you

Love  you,  adore  you   for  ever  in  conscious mind

no  one  would  ever , erase, alter this  course  of  kind

Love  you , worship  you,   heart  and  soul

Ask  for  my  life, I'll respond to your  call

Your  love  is  joy,  happiness, everlasting   light,

Your  love  is eternity,  time:  day  and  night

Love  you  more than   universe, its  air, atmosphere

Love  your  world:  your  kindness,

your optimism,  your  despair  

Love  you  more  than  anything

I'd ever seen or  imagined on earth

even  if  you  wither , fade  from  the  world,

even if you 'r   cold  ,  indifferent, rude  as  flood

I  would  still  go  mad,

Face my  God,

pray to   my Lord,

beg  heaven and  angles,

use  my mind, soul  and  senses,

crush my  ego,  pride,

seeking  all blesses,

sell my  remaining   time ,

end the story of  my life,

just  to  embrace

a  look on  your  tender  face

unpleasant change

Can't tell you the cheerless story,

That once used to be an utter glory,

With sound of eternal music plays,

Timeless, full of life were my days,

Full, of optimism, lively, green,

Flying all around in merry scene,

No end could I see to that joy,

No obstacles, adversary or foe,

One color throughout prevails,

Without fail , on all details ,

No barrier, no slightest fear,

complete  melody that I hear,

No betrayal , no faulty wit,

All pure, go with ease, fit.

Until betrayal came one day ,

Killing love without delay,

O God why this torture, disdain?

What type of life they do ordain ?!

Hamzah and Dalal

Oh my Great  God !

How can I evade them easily,

How can I die?

For I know, change is death,

A price  very high.

God ! would you make me wind,

To follow them to the  world end?

Or switch back time and tide

So as to relive time deep inside ?

Or twist me further,

Or pull me  across the universe,

To regain my heart ,

To have a glimpse of my dear,

And to shield me from certain despair?

Missing Widad

That  we should  so waste our chances of seeing makes me sigh!

Otherwise here, every piece of stone is  the  heart of Mount Sinai,

Where the light of God shone  in the form of  the Burning Bush.

The lovers' blood turned the earth into a garden lush

The sap in the trees has been fed by the  wounded  game:

Life bleeds, but is replaced by life all the same.

How long, O God! Should I contend with man's lowly fame?

Give  me the power to pray for  higher, loftier aim !

Love has  created endurance, patience with Your exalted name,

Is part of her, printing her image in mind like a lasting frame,

Reminding me for ever her lovely face, discourse, making me sane,

Facing all  hardships of life fearing no  hindrance or slight restrain,

For she's Your Beauty, no matter what odds might be, Your  ordain,

And love her I will  for ever, like You Presence, my love will remain,

Unhindered by all forces in your creation and all unseen terrain.

In a state of chronic fatigue

Your love, care  prevail,

Decided without any fail,

To live to hear you say:

"Come on such a day,

And see me before you die,

See me how true , how high,

In my promise, in my voice,

Give up death and do rejoice."

Yes, I'm left with a white hair,

Without you , it's all despair,

Yet just a word from thee ,

Would make me live, see,

Your elegance for a while,

And peacefully die with a smile.

Her photo

Your photo brings sweet time,

When my tunes could click, rhyme,

When emotions like wind sweep,

My inner self while awake and asleep,

When I live in a strange, unique play,

Full of songs, melody, night and day,

When your image storms my brain,

And forever cures all my pain.

Recollection

It was dark, silence,

All around air of fear,

I couldn't see nor hear,

I could only feel at once,

When I heard the bad news.

I could see her tears, hear inner voice,

Filling me with grief and despair.

Time stopped, life void ;

I could see her no more.

Missing Jaffar Jassim

Shocked with your sudden absence, the youngest,

I ascended to your room, to sense my dearest dear,

To kiss everything in your room and to swim in its air,

To embrace you and to feel how you talked to her,

Your loving one, the mystery that I can never tell,

How could she feel ? would she ever sense your smell?!

Your room, the youngest, becomes my holy place,

Pure, untouched, full of your love, affection and grace,

Yet I felt void, I felt my life too worthless, very thin,

Without you, nothing can warm my life from within,

Without you, life ceases to exist, none of your kind,

Without you, thoughts ill, mind paralyzed, eyes blind.

Birth anniversary of Mohammad Jassim

Love you Moodi, happy birthday,

Sensing you all time in my own way,

All time till  the far end of my age,

When the story ends joy and rage.

Deep in me, you'll live supreme,

Unique like a vision none has seen,

And when I'm given an extra chance,

I'll seek giving you the last glance.

Remember you, pure with white soul,

Remember your days, your dreams all.

Remember your love , your innocent face,

That spread in all directions, beyond space.

And when none remains around,

I sense your care and love abound

Creeping in, giving hope and rejoice,

Giving me force, vigor, a new voice.

Wishing you love deeper than all thought,

Success, wisdom deeper than all taught,

Wishing you health and protection complete,

Wishing you all minds to your mind meet.

Love at 10

Remembering my teen love

I went into her inner self but could not find,

The code of life, the secret line, a real mind,

But in this torturous journey, I could see,

A minute glimpse of my mind,

Dancing somewhere in her,

Like a drop in the sea,

Was she fourteen? Was I the teen?

Complex I looked and she was sane!

Though I sensed her other eyes and ears,

Reading everything concealed ,

like a written page,

though she thought I was her prisoner,

closely guarded in her cage!

A big aspect, she failed to feel,

Human nature, so simple, so real,

No greed, no motives, no hidden force,

Simple, simplicity , normal in the core.

Could count all in and all around,

Could interpret louder words from her side.

Simply she was everywhere,

Nothing she could conceal,

For years I went deep into her brain,

Finding everything and how to sustain,

Living in her like an inner wave,

Free to enter, own the space and go away

All the time, at utter will, everyday.

Wirth anniversary of Widad Jassim

In your sweet birthday,

Majestic stands for May,

When I think of you,

Something strange comes through

My mind. Intense feelings play,

Miseries subside, haste away,

Sensing you with a drop of tear,

Brings in hope, no more fear,

For you prevail in me,

And through your love I see,

What's hidden beneath,

What's the untold truth,

The story of life as never told,

The inner beauty I firmly hold,

Radiant rays from every side,

Filling me with your pride,

Making me awake when all sleep,

It's your look, so strong, so deep,

Urging me to pray to your two flowers,

To be protected by His unlimited Powers,

Reading your mind time an again,

Changes weariness, turns me sane!

Love you more than all they wrote and taught,

Love you more than life, all they thought,

Love your two angels day and night ,

Beyond all apprehension, all insight.

She

When she looks, she shocks wild and wide,

A solid look like an axiom that seeks a side,

He command seems to be totally free to play,

She is the Queen that sweeps. Men have to obey.

She is the one:

She is the one:  caring, smiling right,

She is angel turning dark very bright,

Talked with utter tender , soft at ease,

Pains and sins do go, vanish , release,

To go forever. There's no place but Pure,

Like God's hands , mercy, her looks cure

All ills inside me, I'm myself, rising, free

For Pure gives me shadow like giant tree

Spring:

She is so lovely: as pretty as spring,

Speaking as music as if she does sing,

Her passion is so intense, real, like a flame,

You feel her inside when you utter her name.

Abdullah al-Otaibi

Written in Arabic:

عبد الله العتيبي

بوركت  صديقي  البار

صديق  مخلص  شهم

رغم  انف الطغاة

في عصر الحضارات البليدةْ

عصر النفاق  و العنف  و الطاغوت

عصر فيه  ضاعت  قيم  العرب  التليدةْ

الا  الكويت و شعبها و فكرها

فقد احيوا تراث امتنا  المجيدة

رسالتك ابكتني و هزت أحاسيسي  العتيدةْ

و احيت الذكرى مفجرةً

فوجدتني أعيش  في حلم الطفولةْ

حلم البراءة و السلام بل  حلم الرجولةْ

او تعرف صديقي كيف عوملت بالمنفى

و كيف  أهدروا قيم  القبيلةْ ؟

قيم الشهامة و العدل و الاحسان

قيم الانسان

منذ الطفولةْ

او تعرف  كيف زلزلت افكارنا

وكيف  فرضت على الدنيا الرذيلةْ؟

أو تعرف  كيف ان  الطغاة من بعثٍ

وصدامٍ و عبد كريمٍ

و اتباعهم من ارضنا التي  باتت قتيلةْ ؟

كيف شردونا من  ديارنا

كيف عوملنا و دمرنا

كما  دمرت دنيا العروبة و البطولةْ؟

كيف  عاثوا بالارض  فساداً

و ازالوا البسمة و الغناء من روحنا

بكل صلافةٍ   بل  بكل  وسيلةْ؟

أو تعرف كيف مات الطموح  بنا

و اصبحت احلامنا

مجرد احلامٍ   عليلةْ ؟

أربعة عقود

و نيف  في  المنفى

دمرت كل  شيئ

ضاع  الشباب  و الحب

وضعت السلاسل  في  أعناقنا 

وهي ثابتة  ليومنا  هذا

فما باليد  حيلةْ.

Christine Hains

After a  short   absence, the British dance teacher, Ms Christine

Haines ,  double  fellow of the  imperial  society of Teachers of 

dancing , London is  back in action thanks  to a big  hand  by  the

General Manager of  Islamabad Marriot Hotel . Mr. Hans Bredt. I

wrote this poem to celebrate Christine:

Both of us are lucky , for we believe in fate

That  does  run everything with a  strange  state

Its   way is so strange, blurred all my thoughts

Everything it made, concealed orders it wrote

But I challenged its way, decided to live, dream

Reverse, time, events ; compelling it to redeem

All acts of  mine, all errors that I made, my sin

And to infuse  in me its   own  light from within

Dreaming made me see in the darkness of night

Creating an air of aroma,  joy, life  full of light

Was my  ordeal, deprivation any sensible goal?

Was the loneliness a  way to  discover my soul?

Was  your trauma any different or was it a fate?

And would your tears change things at any rate?

Surely fate would prevail on  all : coward and brave

And  all  would be  condemned  to their dark grave

Hence  why not  rebel throughout our limited years

On all these  events and Fate , no matter how it appears?

Why not to  continue our journey, strongly move on?

Even if heavens and earth are destroyed , have  gone

Even if   its  fire dominates and everything it burns

Even if  the bygone torture would stage a new return

Even if our time is  short : our  fixed time is  run

Even if gloom burns everything around under the sun

What can I tell you, dearest dear, except I am living somehow

Short of every joy, with misery, deprivation, then and now

Yet, never ever felt weak, never  felt isolated or alone

Never felt sinning or to  my  sins I  have to atone

Seeing you dancing made me thinking I am the exalted one

Never bothered or moved by past events: everything is gone

So dance gracefully with full power, with full pace

And  do occupy , with  your dance all  given space

For your dance dictates that  you do live , you care

And despite all  odds, you remain my dearest dear

DREAMS

By Ms. Sahar Pirzada upon my request. She tried to be political but

one could smell romanticism even in her political discourse!!

Dreams…

On their wings we often fly

They could be saviors

Or treacherous demons in the sky

‘I have a dream,’ said Martin Luther King

That being of color would seize to sting

When society would realize its gall

At restricting opportunity for all!

‘I have a dream,’ said General Adolf Hitler

And in his ear did evil mercilessly titter

That the world would be free of the Jew

And genocide would be their rightful due

Immortality can be sought through tyrannous acclaim

With disregard for moral degeneration and eternities shame

Or it can be won with a lifetime of care

For those facing injustice or dark despair

Dreams…

They can guide us to rainbow skies

Where his true nature man never denies

And if left to breed with senseless greed

We are left with the echo of our solitude and inevitable defeat.

Honored the degree:

Written to Sahar on occasion of passing M.A, English literature with

distinction:

Blessed, super, full of intellect per se ,

The beauty set my inner self free,

Honors all she touches, degree,

Invisible her mode, but I can see.

Hearing the news, I knelt on my knee,

Praying for her, to Almighty plea,

Love all her traits, scheme, ploy ,

Love her style, mind from the soul.

Charm, enchanting, her name, the best,

Hope in the early morning to me, the rest

Of those who are close to her, closer still,

I have a message to declare with my will.

That she's so tender, loving, grace, light,

More than she seems, on the first sight,

She's  the time before events, its bride,

She's, mystery wave, rather lovelier tide.

Ms Nancy Powell

I wrote this poem to commend the spirit of social service exhibited by

US Ambassador to Pakistan Ms. Nancy Powell, who painted a

primary school with  the former Minister of Education Zubaida

Jalal.

She looked like an angel, super  soul, when  she  paints

One could see all invisible souls bless her, mostly  saints

She looked beautiful, her cheeks were redder than rose

All loved her in her gentle gesture, urge for noble cause

Wanted to hug her , for she awakened all asleep who rose

To kiss her hand for this unique human touch, kind pose

All felt  happy, secure with her tender touch, her grace

All were in a state of joy, seeing her building love's base

Yet my fair lady wouldn't  relent, moving in a state of race,

Building bridges of trust, tackling,  odd issues: case by case

The Angel of Arabia

I wrote this poem to pay tribute for the First Lady of UAE Sheikha

Fatima and her role in Empowerment of Women:

Everything on earth would certainly wither, die, fade

That's a writ of  the Lord, it's fixed, it has been  laid

But great Fatima is eternal , with her heart of brave

Her message of love that embraces all, protects, saves

She is an angel, caring for women and men, she's just

Has boldly fought for their rights, when they were dust

Legend she's now,  still spreading the message of love

Handling swiftly all and sundry, nice ones and rough

Has become the talk of all , real heart queen that rules

All around with  unique style, temperate nature, cool

O Lord, may You elevate her more, enhance her pride

So that her loves' power would give light to every blind

Terry White:

I wrote this poem to pay tribute to the official spokesman of US

Embassy in Pakistan Mr. Terry White when transferred from

Pakistan in 2003:

Quiet fellow, soft  spoken, good-hearted: Terry White

Hardworking, tender heart,  humane in his own right

What a loss to  see you depart: you have been the best

Never seen your equal  here or in the unknown rest

How sad  one feels missing your vision: pure, bright

How grieved to see you quickly depart,  out of sight

For you have been the symbol of truth, pearl and gold

A teacher, musician, who struggled, has been very bold

You do  suppress the  flame that makes you very smart

Humility is your trait: always acted  sincere from heart

Making  souls fall  deeply in love with you by first dart

Or at least that's the impression one gets from the start

Value of life:

Mehr Pirzada Ajmal

A rising teacher at International Grammar College, Islamabad. It

was published when I was Editor of Liberty International:

Shattered and miserable

Pain weighs immeasurable

Searching in souls silences

The shrieking mourning in unbearable

Sparingly scarce are my defences

Fake smiles and false pretences

Shallow or hollow

Its all acceptable

Splintered, torn and tattered

They fall down slain and battered

Our partners in pain

Why did harm come your way

Did hands you not hold

As Allah hath us told

We surely now stand

Sure and confident, not wrong

United in pleasures

Stranded in pain

The wars are no gain

That baby, the smile

In pain, for a while

Was gone as the camera clicked

And we all saw the picture

It was jut another page

We carelessly flicked

Like an angel he was gone

But the demons of war

Will go on.

Asseri and tolerance:

Paying tribute to the  former Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan  Ali

Awadh Asseri for his moderation and tolerance. His  thesis  reminds 

one  of  one of the most revered Muslim thinkers, the great Sheikh

Mohieddine Ibn Arabi in the 12th century : 

My heart  softens to people, invariably all forms

It is  diversified , open to all ideas, various  norms

All are respected:  Christians, new and very old

Would impress me if they worship so boldly God 

Temples have to stay functioning normal anyway 

And the tablets of the Torah have so much to say

All never bother Kaaba, never take my faith away;

for the blessed Quran continues to survive , stay

spreading its eternal  message of love everyday ,

And that is my message, to all I want to convey,

the message of love that will always prevail, relay

hope for better morrow despite our misery today;

for His exalted will  would cause evil to slide ,sway

facing the message of love that is there to obey