“If you don’t get out of my way, I’ll shoot you.” The man looks like ex-military or military wannabe but gone to seed, his crew cut greying and his stomach protruding, hanging loosely over his too-tight belt. He is pushing a shopping cart with a few items in it; a[…]
I dreamt of fire and snow, and woke up to wind. The wind has been blowing all day, mash’Allaah, whipping frenzied treetops into wild shapes, majestic and sometimes grotesque against a steel grey sky. Cold, but not the indifferent cold of sun and snow; rather, the cold of red-cheeked[…]
These days are days of remembering. As I work each night on my Yemeni Journey book, it seems impossible to write my past without living it again, at least a little. At least feel the sting of tears behind closed lids as I say goodbye to my father, sisters, and[…]
The siege of Damaaj has entered its fifty-fourth day. Three people were injured yesterday, one seriously. According to Shaakir McGill: “Medical Report by Dr. Ahmed Shabaam Al-Waadee’ of Dammaj hospital 155 killed (may Allah accept them as martyrs) 139 missing (may Allah accept them as martyrs and facilitate their burial[…]
Been thinking a lot about my mother lately, hard to believe she’s been gone so many years. It seems like yesterday, last week, a month ago at most I midnight called her knowing she would be awake, playing solitaire at the kitchen table we spent so many hours eating, laughing,[…]
This day dawns pink orange white tinge of blue Memory of thundercloud day before Lightning filled sky Finger jab quick enough to be a dream Then waves of light upon light A boom a flash and it begins again. This morning’s sky tinged with the afterthoughts Of storm What was[…]
Listening to the girls reciting Qur’aan, preparing for class later this night reminds me of other nights spent under star speckled skies listening to the recitation of the night prayers during the month of Ramadhaan. Climbing to the roof, letting the sounds of the night- crickets, the far away sound[…]
People often ask us why we moved to Yemen over ten years ago now. The answer was simple. Having found the truth, we wanted to follow it, and in order to follow it, we had to gain knowledge. Yemen, with its many strong scholars and teachers and its low cost[…]
I sit dumbfounded by your arrogance unveiled you paint the world with your own thick brush blur lines between cultures, traditions personal freedom lost so we all become blind followers of the Western ideal cover girl clones you want us to breathe the fetid air you expel spent, lifeless, carbon[…]
Once again I find myself in the position of marking time, holding space, suspended between one breath and the next. It’s a lesson I learned long ago, the art of waiting, living on the inhale, knowing the exhale is sure to come. Eau Claire, Wisconsin: My marriage arranged, I’ve said[…]
