http://hajjiumar.gather.com Recent Articles on Gather by Umar, Abu Nurain en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:04:12 GMT 2010-01-06T08:04:12Z en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 http://www.gather.com/images/header/logo_gather.gif http://www.gather.com/ http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977952457 she was pretty perched on the end barstool her tiny words lilt a caged bird’s song, content in her gilded eden. he was tall, handsome dark silks, attentively . . . Fri, 18 Dec 2009 04:31:31 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977952457 Umar, Abu Nurain 2009-12-18T04:31:31Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977950736 I walk along the edges of the emptiness of your leaving rainbows in a burning sky marked by the yellow tape and sensibly placed barricades Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:52:47 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977950736 Umar, Abu Nurain 2009-12-17T00:52:47Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977948691 Graveyard shifts offer premium wages in lieu of pleasures and sins hidden under the nights’ tawdry skirts, or the lukewarm beds of tired wives in stale, familiar . . . Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:54:40 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977948691 Umar, Abu Nurain 2009-12-15T20:54:40Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977930096 She swam alone against the rhythm of the tide gliding sleek just beneath the sea’s rippled skin . Spoondrifts, a briny mist of windblown tears, wove a tapestry from her . . . Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:49:39 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977930096 Umar, Abu Nurain 2009-12-04T04:49:39Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977926380 She talked to Jesus daily, kneeling in the bread pantry Curious busboys’ cigarette smoke followed their long eyes in blue streams Insinuating her praying . . . Wed, 02 Dec 2009 02:00:47 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977926380 Umar, Abu Nurain 2009-12-02T02:00:47Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977925581   I met Hemigway’s old fisherman before the war at La Bodeguita del Medio, autographing Papa souvenirs for empty seersucker suits and plumped pale strapless . . . Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:48:11 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977925581 Umar, Abu Nurain 2009-12-01T16:48:11Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977905596   Ribbon rays of sun teeming with dust stretched our shadows over the hardscrabble campground Old soldiers mustered patient in gloss-white folding chairs their . . . Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:48:16 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977905596 Umar, Abu Nurain 2009-11-17T23:48:16Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977228280   Dad's ring: death makes heirlooms from everyday effects. Possessions crammed with his aura; a fingertip caresses gold and gems as his dad, reveling, had done seeing sons . . . Sun, 13 Jan 2008 02:47:16 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977228280 Umar, Abu Nurain 2008-01-13T02:47:16Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977228132 Ice cream Vanilla bean Or swirls of Dairy Queen Cones, not cups and no plastic spoons Double scoop chocolate dipped topped with nuts Kiss me now while the cream's still cold . . . Sat, 12 Jan 2008 23:54:16 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977228132 Umar, Abu Nurain 2008-01-12T23:54:16Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977227794   Wet grass dampens bare soles shines their callous ridges green blades between glistening toes summer's memories climb from the dew up children's voices puppies yips and . . . Sat, 12 Jan 2008 16:13:28 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977227794 Umar, Abu Nurain 2008-01-12T16:13:28Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977227200     straw men vacant squash heads slats brad nailed together under dusty limp three piece suits two heartbeats away from the bonfire or one more reduction in . . . Fri, 11 Jan 2008 22:48:29 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977227200 Umar, Abu Nurain 2008-01-11T22:48:29Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977223005   black men counter first moves whether chess or checkers they live on the war board's frontline as sacrificed pawns to the greater good game losses stacked in a . . . Mon, 07 Jan 2008 17:07:34 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977223005 Umar, Abu Nurain 2008-01-07T17:07:34Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977222461   Rain drops pass through a sluice sloped below tearful eaves, zigzag through a gilded griffin its stoic talons grip slate and stone its scowling eyes and furrowed brow witness . . . Mon, 07 Jan 2008 01:41:12 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977222461 Umar, Abu Nurain 2008-01-07T01:41:12Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977220614 His words mystify simplicity. They are clandestine self-indulgencies, loosed vanities with extended horizons; elegant crop circles, in alien semiotics tapped out on earthly keyboards.   . . . Fri, 04 Jan 2008 23:32:02 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977220614 Umar, Abu Nurain 2008-01-04T23:32:02Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977220321 The following is excerpted from, "Jorge Luis Borges Selected Poems" edited by Alexander Coleman. My Publisher Carlos Frias suggested that I make use of this "prologue" to describe . . . Fri, 04 Jan 2008 17:54:14 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977220321 Umar, Abu Nurain 2008-01-04T17:54:14Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977216922 Back on May 5, 2007 I purchased an expensive pair of men's shoes from Nordstroms. Although it is now a chain of department stores with a middle class clientele, it began as a shoe store. Anyway, . . . Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:38:14 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977216922 Umar, Abu Nurain 2008-01-01T00:38:14Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977215854     Six toes kowtows deep when the sun begins her rise   His cat vibrato whirs in Cassie's throne's shadow   Mews like delta blues gleam the night's . . . Sun, 30 Dec 2007 21:12:29 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977215854 Umar, Abu Nurain 2007-12-30T21:12:29Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977210717 We're soaking a kettle of black-eyed peas none of them peas at all it seems merely black hearted beans; beans, beans good for your heart, eat too many and you will (don't be childish) . . . Sat, 22 Dec 2007 21:05:39 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977210717 Umar, Abu Nurain 2007-12-22T21:05:39Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977209212   washing the vibrant headstone my bathing hands see the skull beneath the skin, its ridges and knots   roll the cavernous holes' fleshy protuberances the detachable jawbone, . . . Thu, 20 Dec 2007 22:39:38 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977209212 Umar, Abu Nurain 2007-12-20T22:39:38Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977207258 I had much fun making this for you. The thing is, each stanza contains musical clues pointing, often not subtly, to the artists or something related to that artist. There are many possible solutions or . . . Tue, 18 Dec 2007 20:48:07 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977207258 Umar, Abu Nurain 2007-12-18T20:48:07Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977207131   Rain and mist renown Transitions that fly stateless To cloud and puddle Wedded to the gusting wind Formulating muddy blues Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:53:30 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977207131 Umar, Abu Nurain 2007-12-18T17:53:30Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977204730 Here we go again searching for our muse hoping it doesn't matter that we're slightly confused   John W., Edward and John B. too drive me to keyboard hopeful and enthused . . . Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:22:39 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977204730 Umar, Abu Nurain 2007-12-16T00:22:39Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977201978     I nearly died when I was born. My parents took me back to the hospital where I was treated for a problem that persists even now. From this auspicious beginning, my life evolved like . . . Wed, 12 Dec 2007 22:33:46 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977201978 Umar, Abu Nurain 2007-12-12T22:33:46Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977201919 I do not desire to leave this house buffeted by wooly plants bees, spiders and a gang of cats bottle brush trees and birds of paradise   I do not desire to leave this place of swirling . . . Wed, 12 Dec 2007 21:25:46 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977201919 Umar, Abu Nurain 2007-12-12T21:25:46Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977201897     the sacred dyad not the monist’ miracle life’s essentialness takes two to tangle ova makes three to bear the future Wed, 12 Dec 2007 21:01:12 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977201897 Umar, Abu Nurain 2007-12-12T21:01:12Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977201876     Destitute ghosts lost in the brightness bemoan the absence of familial recognition until night revelations blossom as shadows must, to encourage our tenderly girdled imaginations. . . . Wed, 12 Dec 2007 20:34:33 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977201876 Umar, Abu Nurain 2007-12-12T20:34:33Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977201680      This, of course, was inspired by Ed Nudelman's poem.  You should also check out Atticus' alphabet poem.   Approach beliefs carefully Determining . . . Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:16:44 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977201680 Umar, Abu Nurain 2007-12-12T17:16:44Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977197604       Farewell the neighing steed, and the shrill trump, The spirit-stirring drum, the ear-piercing fife, The royal banner, and all quality, Pride, pomp, . . . Sat, 08 Dec 2007 02:08:50 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977197604 Umar, Abu Nurain 2007-12-08T02:08:50Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977197305       Their city as metaphor: The New World Shone brightly in their sleepy eyes Such that those who built it, willingly and not, Became invisible as black . . . Fri, 07 Dec 2007 19:43:59 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977197305 Umar, Abu Nurain 2007-12-07T19:43:59Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977194594   As I walked home from work today, somewhat intoxicated by poems I've read today, this little ditty came bouncing in so I thought I'd give it to you even before it might have matured. . . . Wed, 05 Dec 2007 02:06:38 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977194594 Umar, Abu Nurain 2007-12-05T02:06:38Z