A ruinous wind destroyed the cities of the people
of LUTAny man who raised his head high ultimately found
that his assumptions were wrong.
[A.Y.M.]In the unpredictable and harsh environment of the Somali
42.nomadic society, tender emotions are not, by way of custom,
publicly expresse~. The individual is expected to restrain
himself from the display of 'soft' feelings. In the
following verses? the famous poet Cilmi Bowndheri, who
is reputed: to have died of love, decried this austere
Somali custom on the basis that love of women 1S a noble
and primeval feeling which has even touched such remark-
able men as the Prophet MU~AMMAD and cALI B. ABUTALIB,
the Prophet's cousin and the fourth Caliph: thus we find
religious allusions in what is essentially a secular
thenie.
Caashaqa haween waa horuu, Caadil soo rogayeSayidkii cirshiga nuurayay, Cali ba soo gaadhye
Carruurtay sideen meesha iyo, Ciise nebigiiye
Cidla laga ma beermeen dadkoo, cuudi waaxida eh
Waxaa cayn ba cayn looga dhigay, hays cajihiyeene
Soomaalidaa caado xune, igu ma caydeen~.It was God the just who long ago created the love
of women
It reached the Lord whose light shone upon the world
and cAL tPeople have been bringing forth offspring since the
time of eISA, the Prophet, till-now
If they had all been of one sex they could not have