Africa

They say home is where the heart is,
Well, I left my heart back in a land,
Of sand,
Camels, Poets,
Beautiful skies,
Even more beautiful weather,
Ocean to the side,
Somalia,
Africa.

One day I shall return to you,
To retrieve my heart.
To spend the rest of my days.
We've been apart,
For too long, my beloved.

And even though you are in conflict,
You still remain the only place,
Where if I think of you,
My heart and mind finds rest.

They say I used to sing as a child,
Of coming to America.
Calling off our neighbors name,
One by one;
Digging holes in the dirt,
Hair blowing in the wind,
I would sing with joy:

Caliyo, Amerika la shageeya! (O Ali, [there is] talk of America)
Axmed Carabo Amerika la shageeya (O Ahmed Carab, [there is] talk of America)

Dear neighbors,
I know you're pleased now,
To know, we've made it,
To the land of the brave,
Home of the free,
The land of opportunities,
And second chances,
Every immigrant's dream.

Though grateful to Allah for my life here,
I can't complain,
I have sweet water, warm bed and food to eat,
Yet my heart is imprisoned,
My mind cannot find peace!
Not here.

O Africa,
Whereas I used to sing about this land,
I reside in currently,
Now, I write poems about you,
Of your beauty,
Of our separation.
O Africa,
I miss you miserably,

O how I yearn,
To return,
To you someday.
How I wish to feel your soft soil between my hands,
Dance in your sweet, clean rain.

They tell me I'm too young to remember
It's true,
Only five when I left you,
I don't remember memories vividly as others do,
But that doesn't change the fact that I miss you.

What little I remember,
And the sweet poems and stories
Others relate,
I keep in my heart,
Locked in a safe,
Of happiness.
I open it time and again
To add more memories
As they come to me,
More stories,
Statements,
Poems,
From hooyo, abbo and all the siblings.

Somalia,
Africa,
I await the day we reunite,
I dream of the day I touch soil,
Return home,
To you, my beloved,
Until then,
I have,
Rely on,
Find comfort in,
Dreams of you and sweet memories.

-Bint Qalin :)
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