Abdi Alfattah
Allahu Akbar
I am from cascading sand dunes,
That hug each other like long-lost lovers
I am from warm summer nights
The piercing sun, the land it covers
I am from bright full moons,
That pierces the night
I am from the wolves full-hearted cries,
That is heard far and wide
I am from the sweet aroma of mangoes,
That fills all empty spaces of the air
I am from the cool summer breeze,
That freely moves from here to there
I am from busy market places
Filled with people on the go
I am from rich green trees
That sway to and from
I am from a land of warring tribes,
That cut our nation into pieces like a
sword
I am from a land of losing lives
No one can save us now but our lord
I am from chaos and uncertainty
That blocks our narrow road to life
I am from the cheerful song of birds
Which now have all seemed to die
I am from a land of a gaunt population
Oh, the horror to the eyes!
I am from a land of marauding gunmen
Like a parade of elephants,
moving in a pack, with cool sufficient strides
I am from an unstable nation
That seems to be tilting more
From a country of war and no stable foundation
One that can no longer endure
I am from the land of milk and honey
Oh, how sweet it used to be
I am from the horn of land by the sea
I am from a war-torn country
Wind carrying around the last bits of debris
I am from children scared in their homes
They stay in there for shelter
I am from death knocking on front doors
And being welcomed with an answer
I am from brother torn from brother
I am from blood spilled on the streets
Like a substance no more valuable
Then the salty waters of the sea
I am from a land where the trees whistle softly
And the ground tells stories
Of when it's people were living in bliss
And there was no such mourning
I am from the mother land
I am from the milk of the camel,
The whistle of the wind,
The heat of the sun....
All of this is where I'm from.
By Ilham Abukar Dahir
8th Grade Student
KC
That hug each other like long-lost lovers
I am from warm summer nights
The piercing sun, the land it covers
I am from bright full moons,
That pierces the night
I am from the wolves full-hearted cries,
That is heard far and wide
I am from the sweet aroma of mangoes,
That fills all empty spaces of the air
I am from the cool summer breeze,
That freely moves from here to there
I am from busy market places
Filled with people on the go
I am from rich green trees
That sway to and from
I am from a land of warring tribes,
That cut our nation into pieces like a
sword
I am from a land of losing lives
No one can save us now but our lord
I am from chaos and uncertainty
That blocks our narrow road to life
I am from the cheerful song of birds
Which now have all seemed to die
I am from a land of a gaunt population
Oh, the horror to the eyes!
I am from a land of marauding gunmen
Like a parade of elephants,
moving in a pack, with cool sufficient strides
I am from an unstable nation
That seems to be tilting more
From a country of war and no stable foundation
One that can no longer endure
I am from the land of milk and honey
Oh, how sweet it used to be
I am from the horn of land by the sea
I am from a war-torn country
Wind carrying around the last bits of debris
I am from children scared in their homes
They stay in there for shelter
I am from death knocking on front doors
And being welcomed with an answer
I am from brother torn from brother
I am from blood spilled on the streets
Like a substance no more valuable
Then the salty waters of the sea
I am from a land where the trees whistle softly
And the ground tells stories
Of when it's people were living in bliss
And there was no such mourning
I am from the mother land
I am from the milk of the camel,
The whistle of the wind,
The heat of the sun....
All of this is where I'm from.
By Ilham Abukar Dahir
8th Grade Student
KC
