Axmed Shiikh Jaamac (1942–2014) was a Somali academician, writer, poet and politician. He taught at the Ministry of Education of the former Republic of Somalia, before moving to Yemen to publish a weekly column for the journal Al-Miithaaq. Axmed eventually returned to Somalia to work as director of the Puntland Ministry of Information, Telecommunications, Culture and Heritage in Garowe.
The following poem is from So At One With You: An Anthology of Modern Poetry in Somali, published by the Poetry Translation Centre, Kayd Somali Arts & Culture and Redsea Online. The poem was translated from Somali into English by Maxamed Xasan ‘Alto’ and Sarah Maguire.
Ugh! Television is Disgusting
You belong in the grave like all your kin from the Djinn
False hope, you’re used by the Devil to hide all his schemes
You’re employed by the Devil to broadcast his word
You’re the Devil’s head honcho, his officer-in-chief
You’re the era’s calamity, a miser on the rampage,
A mind-robber sent here from a continent far away.
If someone is docile you possess him without bloodshed
With a scalpel you cut open the top of his head -
A careful incision so no one makes a fuss -
They’re all oblivious to your instruments and straps
In fact they’d run up the noose by themselves
As you parachute into another victim’s judgement.
You now have been granted pride of place in the house
Everyone I know has welcomed you in
You’ve kidnapped my family who once fled danger by my side,
When you’ve shown them all these details
I wonder how on earth they make sense of it all.
Destruction, fistfights, nation attacking nation,
Gunpowder exploding, screaming and shouting
Villages on fire — flames reaching up to the sky
Everything smashed, knocked sideways, buildings emptied,
The treasury robbed and the rich made bankrupt
Swag bags slung over horses, hooves pounding
Kicking up dust against clamour and songs
When you’ve shown them all these details,
I wonder how on earth they make sense of it all.
Sunrise over the lush, green earth
Rivers that course to the sea
Forests growing tall sprouting fresh leaves
Orchids in bloom shivering in the breeze
Animals of prey circling each other
Qamar selling up shop stuffed with luxury items
The significance of love, declaration and confession
When you express its sweetness to the full
On Fridays the entire family won’t need to eat
When you’ve shown them all these details,
I wonder how on earth they make sense of it all.
But if I try to protest I face a brick wall
You turn me into an ignorant, contentious old man
So come here and tell me what you want me to say!
Here is the poem in the original Somali.
CAKU TV-ga!
Qabri lagugu tuuryaye jinkaad, qolo wadaagtaane
Qalad la igu siray oo ibleys, ii qarshaad tahaye
Qalab uu isagu keensaday oo, qaybsho yaad tahaye
Qabbaankiisa weyn iyo sarkaal, uu qortaad tahaye
Qudurrada sabaankiyo ibtilo, qooqan baad tahaye
Maan-qalato yaad tahay ka timid, qaarad naga dheere.
Qofkoo hebed ah yaad kala baxdaa, dhiig adaan qubine
Qobka madaxa saabaan qabow, yaad ku qodataaye
Dadku yaanay qoonsane sarmada, wow qunyareeysaaye
Qabatooyinkaagiyo xadhkaha, kama qaloodaane
Iyagaaba qoolkaad ku ridi, soo qalqaashada’e
Qariib baad ahayd shalay ku dagay, qoobad iyo laabe.
Imminkana qor saayid ah adaa, qaytay gurigiiye
Dadkaygii qaraabiyo xigtaba, wuu ku qaayibaye
Iga qaadday qoyskii dhammaa, aan la soo qaxaye,
Qorshe aad sameeysiyo markaad, qaabab ugu keento
Qisadaada waan yaabay siday, ugu qushuucaane.
Qacda iyo baftiyo weerarkiyo, qoomamka is-laayay
Baaruudda qaraxeeda iyo, qayladiyo wiida
Qaryadaha gubtee ololo iyo, qiiqa kor u duulay
Qalfoofkiyo alaabada qalliban, daaradaha qaawan
Qasnadaha la boobiyo haddeer, qaniga caydhoobay
Qandiyada la saariyo fardaha, qoobka roganaaya
Siigada u sii qayan cirkiyo, qawdhankiyo heesta,
Qorshe aad sameeysiyo markaad, qaabab ugu keento
Qisadaada waan yaabay siday, ugu qushuucaane.
Qorrax soo baxaysiyo dhulkoo, qurux leh oo doog ah
Webiyada qulqulayee ku dara, qooriyada xeebta
Kaymaha qummaati u baxee, qawlku ruxanaayo
Ubaxyada qadhqadhayee ku yaal, qadowga baashiisa
Ugaadh qaarba dhan u jeeda oo, kala qammaadaysa
Qamar iibinaysiyo dukaan, qaali lagu teedshey
Adduun qaayihiisiyo jacayl, laysu qiranaayo
Marka aad qiyaas ugu shushubi, qooshka malabaysan
Quraac iyo ayaamaha Jimcaha, qado ma doonaane,
Qorshe aad sameeysiyo markaad, qaabab ugu keento
Qisadaada waan yaabay siday, ugu qushuucaane.
Aniguna haddaan qawl hollado, waa qar soo dumaye
Oday qaxar ah baad iga dhigtiyo, jaahil qaraweyne,
Heshiis igu qasab ah keenso oo, qodobbo ii yeedhi!
by Axmed Shiikh Jaamac,
translated by by Maxamed Xasan ‘Alto’ and Sarah Maguire,
So At One With You: An Anthology of Modern Poetry in Somali
published by the Poetry Translation Centre,
Kayd Somali Arts & Culture and Redsea Online (2018).
