بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

  • English العربية My hands struck him first with a swift stab, and a flowing spray like the colour of cinnabar poured out. سَبَقَتْ يَدايَ لَهُ بِعَاجِلِ طَعْنَةٍ وَرَشَاشِ نَافِذَةٍ كَلَوْنِ العَنْدَمِ Have you asked the horses, O daughter of Malik, if you are ignorant of what you do not know? هَلاَّ سَأَلْتِ الخَيْلَ يَا ابْنَةَ مَالِكٍ إِنْ كُنْتِ جَاهِلَةً بِمَا لَمْ تَعْلَمِي For I remain always upon a galloping steed, whose back is wounded by the clash of hardened warriors.…

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  • “Hebel” is a placeholder in Somali, closest to “so-and-so” in English. When a poem begins with Hebel baa yidhi… the reciter signals that he is quoting someone else. When it opens with Hebelow! the poet is addressing the listener directly, an urgent “hey you, listen!” that sets the tone. The poem I’m sharing here was written by Maxamed Diriye, a companion of Sayid Maxamed Cabdulle Xasan. He composed it for his son, urging him to make effort in this life…

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