Qun Yar Soo Soco Come to me softly

Qun Yar Soo Soco

Qaydar hawroow
Qayood foore leh
Ka qadhqadhiyoow
Manka qudhacaw
 
Amba qayrkay
Kaan ka qaatee
Qaayibaad tee
 
Qudhu kii ay raacdoow
Waad qaboobiye
Qunyar soo soco
 
Qod madheedhoo
Midho qurux badan
Quluu bixiyiyo
Qawl udgooneey
 
Qiiq ka baxa iyo
Qoon wadnaha jira
I qaboojaay
 
Qiimo tii lahaydeey
Waad qaboobiye
Qunyar soo soco
 
Xareed qubanoo
Qoorta meesha ah
Qulqulaysiyo
Qormo rayslow
 
Qumbe subag oon
Qayb u helay iyo
Qayrab kacayaay
 
Qudhu tii ay raacdow
Waad qaboobiye
Qunyar soo soco
 
Qaanso roob oo
Qaydad midabbo leh
Ku qoonfalantiyo
Mayay qaadaay
 
Qadow doogloo
Qaal u daaqdiyo
Qayr u degeleey
 
Qiimo tii lahaydeey
Waad qaboobiye
Qunyar soo soco
 

Come to me softly

Her:
You, the bloomed Qaydar tree,
drenched by a rain,
leaves a fragrant wind which shakes,
You, my qudhac flowers
 
You are the one
I’ve chosen,
The one I desire.
 
You who my soul follows
You will soon be refreshed
So come to me slowly.
 
Him:
You who are sweet like
the mareer fruit
That grows with beauty
And fragrant like the Qawl
 
You who cool
My smouldering heart
Covered in wounds
 
You the precious one
You will soon be refreshed
So come to me slowly
 
Her:
You who are like
the rain overflowing
the channels
In a lush green
 
You, who are a vessel full of ghee
Of which I’ve taken my share —
You, my strong ram.
 
You who my soul follows
You will be refreshed
So come to me slowly.
 
Him:
You who are
a rainbow,
sashes of colours,
And the freshly-fallen rain
 
You who are spring’s greenery,
With new shoots for grazing
And on places to camp.
 
You, the precious one.
You will be refreshed
So come to me slowly.
 

Come to me softly

You who are like, the Qaydar tree, grown
Recently drenched by a rain, that leaves a
fragrant wind which shakes that
And the qudhac flowers
 
You ,are the one who
From among my peers I’ve chosen
The one who satisfies
 
You who my soul follows
You will soon be cooled down
So come to me slowly
 
You who are like a bunch of
The beautiful Mareer fruits
That grow beautifully
And the fragrant Qawl plants
 
You who cools
My smoking heart
Covered in wounds
 
You, the one with much value
You will soon be cooled down
So come to me slowly
 
You, who are like overflowing rainwater
Flowing through waterways
In a bountiful area
 
You, who are a vessel full of ghee
Of which I found my allotted portion
And a strong male sheep
 
You who my soul follows
You will be cooled down
So come to me slowly
 
You who are a rainbow
Hobbled by
Sashes of colours
And the dissipation of heavy rain
 
You who are
Springs greenery
Fresh shoots grazed
Upon which people encamp
 
You, the one with much value
You will soon be cooled down
So come to me slowly
 

Somali poetry is or can be music, and music in the language is often poetry, our guide translator Ibrahim points out. This particular poem is one of those, written with both poetry and music in mind. That means repetition of verses, pastoral imagery, and a poem that conforms to a musical style that is peculiar to nomads feeding their camels in an oasis. I enjoyed the process of this group translation, learning both from our guide translator who speaks/is Somali, and a team of workshop participants from different language backgrounds, whose knowledge of poetry and of English language forms and idioms helped convert what is an unbelievably beautiful Somali love poem into what approaches an English language equivalent.

Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún, poet-facilitator

Original Poem by

Xasan Ganey

Translated by

Ibrahim Hirsi with The Poetry Translation Workshop Language

Somali

Country

Somalia/Somaliland