SUFI POETRY IN SOMALI

23.9.

Habeenkaan dhashee horeba, caanaa laygu habaye

Already on the night when I was born, I was nursed
with milk
(Text 23/27)
Somali pastoralists make various artifacts which are
necessary for their economy, safety and well-being such as

water-troughs, vessels, harnesses for horses, huts, weapons and

personal ornaments. They usually take the raw material

from their immediate environment and this contributes to

the visual harmony between all such objects and the beautiful

scenery of the nomadic interior. Somali Sufi poets often

draw their images from among the artifacts produced by the

traditional technology of the pastoralists.

In the following lines the image of the water-trough

employed to represent plenty and peace:

Darka jannee laga cabaad, noo dardari hadhow

You will ladle out for us ~he sweet Iwater] from the

watering-trough of Paradise for which people

have yearned

(Text 11/58)

Dalaam-ifisooy darkii jannadoo, aad noo dardartaanu

kaa dalbanay

o lighthouse in the darkness, we ask you to ladle

out for us water from the watering-trough of Paradise

(Text 13/16)

Dahabo digrigaaga oon badiniyo, dar janno annagay

dan noo tahay

is

o golden one, it profits us to celebrate the Remembrance

of you and to drink from the watering-trough of Paradise

(Text 13/9)