A Poem about Qat

Abdi! Although I have abstained from poetry,
And have not for decades uttered a single sound.
The creative powers I have once had,
and the Melodious voice with which I used to convey,
I have lost the desire for poetry in recent years.
A moving emotion leaves me restless tonight,
Forcing me to say what you have been asking awhile.
In this world that some have aimed for higher galaxies.
In this world that some are trotting on the moon.
In this world scientists lead with scientific understanding.
In this world threatening each other with deadly nukes,
We are calmly chewing this poisonous grass.
Our entire thinking is reduced to chewing qat.
Our children are incarcerated in harsh prisons cells
Our girls and women exposed to dangerous habits.
Our youth hating their country are in a hurry to leave.
All await travel and deadly sea adventures,
In their hopes and dreams to flourish elsewhere.
If we are not tiring of self-imposed migration
We are unwilling to stop this disgracing qat.
May Allah give us peace and change our ways.
Elders don’t bring not even a tooth brush
Entertaining themselves they succumb to grass
Like herds heading home and chewing their curd
They enjoy chewing their qat in early evenings
But without peaceful sleep they stay wide eyed
Lazy and sluggish, they don’t look for jobs
If they find two morsels by way of lunch
Before swallowing, they run to qat again
Walking in the markets in any afternoon
It looks desolate in abandoned ruins
May Allah give us peace and change our ways.
If they do not stop this narcotic leave,
Our government fails to ban its consumption.
Religious scholars don’t point its ills
And our doctors ignore its illnesses
Nor does our youth shun its consumption,
If our elders don’t abstain and forewarn
Undoubtedly our country is on destructive path
Unless Allah gives us peace and change our ways.
Look at how many virgins and beauties neglected.
Look at how divorce, not matrimony becomes commonplace.
Look at how kids are lost without any protection.
Look at this scary disintegration of our culture.
Look at how many girls submit into chewing qat.
Who have been misguided and lulled with false tales.
Look at married women whose cheeks swell with qat
May Allah give us peace and change our ways.

By Faisal Aw Cabdi.

Translated by Rhoda A. Rageh with the permission of the author.
faysal_awcabdi@hotmail.comLondon UK

waxaan idinku soo dhowaynayaa tix gaaban oo gabay ah oo daba socota giir yaale GOBANIMO waxay soo baxday maanta oo ah 09/09/2008 Salaasa
Abwaanadu geddii aan la rabay sheege gabaygiiye
gundhi geedi waa kuwan furfuray godobaheediiye
murti gaaxday geeraar hirgalay gooha arar tooda
suugaan gobeed iyo tixaha goohu dami waayay
giiryaale waa kaa tol helay gacalla yaashiise
galabtana god baan dega hayaa galiya maan kiina
Galoof baan ka dhigay gaanihii godolka waynaaye
gaadiidki aan saanyan laa gawrac baan sudhay e
gurmo go'an anaa jaray ushii garab ka noolayde
gondahayga anigaa cabdoow gudin ku naafeeyay
anigays guhaad shoo intaa hanaq isgooynaaya
gankaygiyo asaagay hadaan gaadhi kari waayay
inaanan meella gaadhayn is ogi garashadeediiye
ilmadayda gobo'o deedu waa ii garaad li'iye
gobannimo haddii aan mar helay waanigii gaday e
garan waayay ubixii u go'ay gunud xaqoodiiye
garan waayay geeridu inay geesiyada layso
garan waayay guushaada dhaqo hanatay goorteed e
garan waayay goonyaha tol tolo yay gabaabsiyine
inaan gaafo baxo maalintaan gaadhay baa timiye
waxbaa iga kaftoon galay taladi gaar u dagidiiye
gucla orodka waataan midnimo aan gudoon idhiye
guud mar sheeko mooyee marabo inaan ku guuxaaye
waa tii laygu guureed ogayd gumaradeediiye
galabtaan ka soo waaqsadeen gooni isu taagay
galab taan is idhi waadigaa gaadhay libintaadi
galabtaan aqoonsiga u koray geedka laga muuqdo
gol qaniin miyaa lagu wadaa gaba gabaynaysa
garashada miyaa laga madhaa libin ta goobaysa
gurac talo miyaa loo wadaa meella gaadhaynin
gabaahiir miyay nagu fureen gabadanays naanta
araftaa gaddii aan u idhi ama giraydh keeda
nin guhaani arartuu lahaa maw gargaro sheegtay
taariikh gun dheer iyo ma furay taynu garanayno
gudban hadalka maw dhigay intaan gacan togaaleeyey
gibla kalena waa maanso aan gee is leeyahay e
bal guddooma geeraar kalaan soo gudbinayaaye
isla garannay inay guul daradu nagu gidaad nayde
ha yeeshee in talo gartaa lagaga guuraaye
maxay nala gudboon waxaynu nahay qaar gabaab siyay e
gidigood aqoon yahan shir uu talo ku googooyo
ama uu siyaasigu gartaba talada gawdhiidhay
ooy culimo garab kii cilmiga diinta ugu goyso
oo ay barbaartii gayigu garato khayrkiisa
oo tahriibkan laga gaabsadiyo socod kan geeryaysan
gobanimo sidaasay ahayd garan aqoon waynay
galaduna iskaashay ahayd gacan la maalaaye
garashiyo aqoon baad dadyohow libin ku gaadhaane
gaangaambis socod kaa xuneen meella lagu gaadhin
garaabiysigaa iyo intaan qaadka gadanayno
gaaladu waxii ay tartiyo intay gacan tu hoosayso
hay'adahu galaan ay baxshaan gaajo tiri waaye
u guntada geyaga beeristoo garaw ga soo goosta
galay iyo hadhuudh baa ku filan labada gooroode
baahida waxaa laga gudbaa galin dadaalkiiye
gudgudaha cirkaa hoora iyo mayay ga soo guuxa
mahiigaanka gaydhiyo ufada karadh ku gaadhsiiya
dooxyada biyaa soo gingima ee gabiga dhaafsiiya
hadaan garasho lagu joojin oon dhaamam lagu giijin
goror na waa dane biyihii godamo lee jeexin
gaajiyo harraad saw dabeed looba go'i maayo
dawladii gayigan loo igmiyo gaadhka carigeenu
ama uu gudoonshaha dalkuba geeri talinaayo
hadii ay gordayn iyo guhaad shicib la guulguulay
god na uu diyaar yahay qofkii guulo dhalin laaba
oo guurtidii qaban lahayd garabka siinayso
xildhibaanadeeniina gabay gebi xilkoodiiba
gargaar eebe mooyee si kale loo gad bixi maayo
guulaha ilaahoow na sii gacan na taageerta
oo adigu noo garo xaqiyo khayr ka gurigiisa
araftaa gadii aan u idhi ama giraydh keeda
nin guhaani arartuu lahaa maw gargaro sheegtay
taariikh gun dheer iyo ma furay taynu garanayno
gudban hadalka maw dhigay intaan gacan togaaleeyey
gibla kalena waa maanso aan gee is leeyahay e
bal guddooma geeraar kalaan soo gudbinayaaye
gobanimo waxaa loo galaa guri abaareede
gocondhooyin baa kuu xagtiyo hirigta geedaaye
waxa loo guttaa waajibaad geeri kay tahay e
geesi baa u quba dhiiga oo gumuc haleelaaye
adigoo u soo gubay dalkiyo giniyadaadiiba
ooy gacan ta kuu soo gashood farax la goohayso
haday aayar kaa guurto ood haysan garan waydo
oo cadaw gu kuu soo gabbado godadna kaa jeexdo
oo aad gunnimo qaayib tood foolxumo guurto
laba jeer go'iyo sow markaa gaabis maad noqonin
intaan geed qadhaadh kaa inagu daanka galinayno
rag baw goostay taladii inay nagu gabraar taane
garanna waynay goolaaftan kiyo gaatan socod koode
kolba keen is yara giijiyay godob u yeelaane
jeelasha waxaa wada gingiman geesiyaal badane
gardarrada kuwii loo xidhee shooki lagu giijay
garyaqaanna aan lagu xukumin cidinna gaynaynin
ee godadka jiifa ka badan geedahaa baxay e
gurmad iyo waxay naga rabaan gacan la siiyaaye
garab aynu siinaa raggaa sharaf u goyn laaye
god ka inaynu jabinaa ragyohow nala gudboonayd e
geesinimo inaan muujinaa nala gudboonayd e
ka guntada waxay nala galbaday waa gunimo wayne

Giiryaale

Tixdan gaaban waxaa igu dhaliyay ka dib markii aan ku guulaystay in la helo gole abwaanka soomaliland ku kulmaan oo dood iswaydaarsiga iyo suugaan wadaagga ay kuyeshan waxaan ku halqabsaday nin la yidhaa ismaaciil maxamed cali oo jooga finland kana mida abwaanada golaha ku bahawday

Giiryaale Wuxuu soo baxay 29/08/2008 Jimce faysal awcabdi cambalaash


in dhawayd ga'alaydii murtida gaaxday oo dhigaye
ma gardaadin maan sooyinkii guule ii diraye
ismaaciil aday garanayee gunud odhaah dayda
oo gacan i sii waxaan rabaa guul inaan helo e
geyigaan is leeyahay walaal waajib kiis gudo e
hadaan godol ka maan soolihiyo gabay la soo tuujin
ama aan guntiga dhiisha iyo gaadhka la adkaynin
go'doon bay ku dhacayaan dalkiyo gabi ahaan beeshu
waxaan gole u xayn daabay een geesi ugu yeedhay
ama aan abwaanada gadhka leh gacal u soo mooday
inay ila gartaan talada ooy guusha dhaliyaane
waxa lagu gabood falay hiddihii nagu gadaanaa ye
waxa geesta laga dhaafay ee la iska gawdhiidhay
galladii rasuulkiyo xaqiyo guule amarkiiye
gadaal bay dhigeen diintiyoo gooye xadhigiiye
gaaladu waxay soo qortay maanka galiyeene
gaajada dal keeniyo baryadu waa is garan waaye
geedaheeni way waday jareen waanay gubayaane
egalaan biyo ah lagama helo godan hargaysaade
gidigii dalkaba waa harraad taan u go'aynaaye
gucla orod biyay goobayaan goor iyo ayaane
gurgurshaha la dhaanshiyo sidii awrta lagu guuro
gabdhihii dhabadahaa ayay ganac ku beelene
gurboob kiyo caruurti bakhtiye gaajo waa cudure
madax dii gayi-gan loo igmaan taloba goynayne
iyagays gadaayee sikale ugama gaab sheene
iyagaan gargaar gaysanine maynu gadaneene
ummadaba galiilyaa heshoo goosme badidoode
waxa gabay abwaan koodiyoon niqin gartoodiye
gurmad lagama helin gaariyiyo geesiyaal kale e
ganay iyo hadraawan mar qudha kaba galiilyoone
banfas baan gediisii u tirin arar leh giiryiiye
muuse aaye muu kaga gig siin gabayadiisiiye
cabdi qaysna uma goyn murtida garan gar teediiye
yuusuf shaacir galladdii abwaan gool kumuu dhaline
cali seenyo waa kaa gabee gooyaya hadalkiiye
qolqol baan gediisii xigmado gabax ka soosiine
cabdi kama gabado meel hadduu gaad is leeyahay e
wax se gaadhay mooye beryahan waa gabaabsiyay e
u gad baxa geyigii wuxuu rabaa gacal u hiishaa ye

afar taa gaddii faarax nuur gololo maw sheegay
ma gardaadshay bayd gaabku wuu kaa guracaayaaye
guntin taan u xidhay geed lab kiyo ararta gaw deeda
intaan gabayga sigib tiisa tiray gocasho maw diidday
gabay kalena waataa waxbadan godolak waydeen e
garta gacala yaaloow murtida waw god deyayaaye

gaashaan qaadki jaad buu gamtiyo gaw da ku hayaaye
waa niman naftoodii guboon gacalna xaalayne
waa niman geyiga iibin laa qaad ku gadan laaye
gabalkii dhacaba waa ragaa daaqa geedaha e
hadday garasho leeyiin xaqay garan lahaayeene
hadba waxay u guuraan halkii gawsku uu dayo e
gabdhi hii tahriib bay galeen geeri beegsade e
waxa lagu gumaadaa jidkiyo gole cadaaweede
nimaan gayin ayuun baa goshiyo gooya dulucoode
guryo nololi taaalbay intaa socd ku goobaane
hayeeshee waxay nala galbaday waa gunimo wayne
guurtidiyo duqay dii xilkii waa kuwii gaday e
galin waxaan tareen bay dadnimo goor xun siisteene
hadba goosan baa lala faqaa gacan la siistaaye
gadaal iyo horaa loo wadaa labada geesoode
gardarada ayay raacsan yiin gooysa dhuuniga e
nabaddii gaf baa lagaga dhigay iyo kiis la gelayaaye
hadduu ruux is giijoo xumaha kaba galiil yoodo
qarankuu gambiyayaa ayaa lagu ganaaxaaye
god madaw ayaa lagu ridaa lagu garaacaaye
gangaan kii siyaad kama duwana geeshka taliyaaye
u ged baxa geyigii wuxuu rabaa gacal u hiishaaye