for Lalla Zuhra bint al-Kush, mystic, d. 1612
perhaps
it was a peculiar childhood
sometimes there was no food
sometimes
my father multiplied a side of beef
to feed fifty or five thousand
in a tagine full of dates and lemons
sometimes
pigeons flew into his pies
with oranges in their beaks
shedding their feathers
roasting perfectly
sometimes rosewater fell from the heavens
on the upturned faces of guests
sometimes there was no food at all
in the cool mornings by the medersa
he taught me
the million names of God
the sultan loved his cook magician
feared his magician cook
sent my father to Fez
then to paradise
with a single cup of tea
but I’m still here
still whispering
the million names of God
by day a woman
at night a dove
–
Maud Burnett McInerney teaches medieval literature at a small liberal arts college. Previous work has appeared in Descant, Witness, Commonweal, and Cleaver.