The Nation of Poets: Sam Said

Showing posts with label Sam Said. Show all posts

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Cycle of pain

Pain has numbed my senses

My poetry is filled with grief

Will a lover seek joy in me?

I take courage to face this

Past, its fire erupt my soul

Will God calm it with peace?

My fear hums in silence, as

Sorrow echoes my voice

Will I wake up from this?

Words and stories prompt me

To re-live cycle of sadness

Will I ever overcome this?

I gaze up to purify this nafs

With remorse from Him

Will His Mercy befall me?

Sam Said

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Poet of the Week: Sam Said

Would you please introduce yourself to the readers?

I am Samra and I live in London. I am charity aid worker for humanitarian causes. I am originally from Hargeisa.

When did you first start writing poetry and was there any particular incidents in your life that inspired you to write?

I wrote prose and poems from young age but never kept them in any journals, I think back in 2010 I first uploaded my poems on Facebook and in particular to Somali Writers and nation of poets page. I took part in the Ramadan competition and my "Troubled Soul" won the competition. It was later published on Scarf magazine. The inspiration to continue writing stemmed from that point onwards.

What does "being creative" mean to you?

I believe we are all creative human beings , we just need to reach deep within us and discover our abilities, be it in writing or sketching or knitting, or anything you set your mind to do.

What do you try to communicate with your poetry?

My poems translates my thoughts that are hidden somewhere on my mind to an online theatre production where there are no cast but an interactive audience that I seek their critical feedback before their applause. They mainly communicate healing process, grief and love on it's simplest terms. They are spiritual in nature and at time philosophical.

How do you find the motivation after a hiatus?

I write for me because I love what I do.

What is your writing process? Do you sit and think through every word of every stanza or do you just write freely and allow the words to flow?

I write most of my poems during my train journey, in Piccadilly line. I write free verses that stems from a thought or short lines.

Who are some of your favorite poets?

My writing are influenced by Arabic literature,my favourite poets are Mahmoud Darwish , Ahmed Mattar, and contemporary one are Tamim AlBargothi. Most recently been blessed to get access to the translated work of Hadraawi and Gaarriye, so their work bring my Somali voice to life.

What advice do you have for aspiring poets? Any word of advice for closet poets?

Accept affirmation and reach out to the creative soul within you

What does writing poetry do for you?

It enables me to use my free time wisely.

Anything else you would like to share?

I am still learning, drafting and reaching.

Father

Artist: Ahmed Yoses

For ten years I have mourned your absence.

Since your soul have ascended into His Mercy,

Each second of each day rebirths the memory of my grief.

Yes, I deserve to see you in my dreams.

My hands can kiss your chest,

Pump life into your heart

I will exhale all of me in prayers, until

In rescuing you

I rescue me

Sam Said

Hadraawi in poem & painting

Painting by Ahmed Yoses

A man of principles who

the sun, the moon, the rivers that flow,

the magical nature, the heartbeat, and loyalty

all bare witness to his words. Even

beauty in his presence testify to

feeling beautiful, and adjectives

are numb as new words ought to be invented

for this Somali Shakespearian, this artist with an

imagination above all the imagination. But

I was sure when I meet him, that I will recite

a line of his most famous poem.

Baladweyn, or maybe sing

Has love been blood-written

or read him, his wonderful storytelling about

lions, jackals and hyena

Or dissolve myself into ink, so I am

wrapped up into his writing, or turn into tree in his

name, or become his hat

keeping his winter hair warm or let his echo voice

speak for me, can he read the language behind my eye lids?

If anything I would adhere to hand shake etiquette

I couldn’t decide how to shake, firm shake or a quick grasp

or what is the culture take on legend embrace?

I did nothing

I said nothing

I swallowed my memorised script and a friend

with her courageous tongue said,

She is a fan of your, you know!

Breaking the silence

He listened to her as if listening can obey,

and spoke in a way that gave humbleness a new value,

and with tenderness behind his jasmine age,

with all the emblematical metaphor a man of his status can master,

he recited a prayer – I will wake up in the middle of the night, and

pray for you in a way I have never prayed before

I stayed there in that line until we exchanged amen and for once

I was in love with everything again

Sam Said

Hajj

I long for Hajj

For my sins to be erased

For a rebirth from my mother’s womb

Just as the paradise stone

Whiter than milk

Testifying with its eyes and tongue

That my simple touch

Was true and sincere

Sam Said

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

"...You are my companions but they are my beloved..."

I have never met you

but I am your beloved

Your love is within me

It is stamped with faith

It is eternal love

It is love that

Cannot be taught

Nor is it theoretical love

It is Love that

Praises your message

Increases with your mention

I abide by your teaching

And I sacrifice my parents for you

So they plot to separate us

Offend you to manipulate us

They think our love can be broken

I tell them little do they know

No Tsunami can weaken our love

No Hurricane Katrina can blow our love

So hear me when I say

His dignity is my dignity

His honour is my honour

Yes this love is outraged

by the recent events

But in his manners we have great example

For his manners was the Quran

So I never met you

But as I grab hold of the Book

Your Sunnah and manners

I strive to be your beloved

Sam Said

Day 10 (Ramadan Poems): Sam Said

Ramadan.....

I accept your proposal

And wear this

repentance ring

Vowing to cling

To the rope of Allah.

Sam Said

Day 8 (Ramadan Poems): Sam Said

Dear Ramadan,

When you represent us in God's court

May you defend our intentions

Defer our punishment

Use our Tawheed as

Evidence of our affirmation.

Sam Said

Day 6 (Ramadan Poems): Sam Said

Dear Ramadan,

Yesterday I sent you a quick fax

Did you receive my memo?

Will you be mine for 30 days!?

Sam Said

Day 5 (Ramadan Poems): Sam Said

Ramadan

We previously stood firm

In the night of Power

Asking for justice

Peace, security and glad tidying

We witnessed Your Lord

Answering the righteous

Showering us with His Mercy

And here we are today

As you closely step into our lives again

Our sins showered

Danger on Syria

Occupation on Palestine

Pain on Somalia

Destruction on Iraq

So we raise our hand

And upon His Name we call

With trust that He answers

Our call

Sam Said

Day 4 (Ramadan Poems): Sam Said

I want that type of sincerity

That revives my faith

Beautifies my soul

And chapter me in page one

Of Riad-us-Saleheen

Reminding me that all

Deeds are by intentions

I want the sincerity of the

three men from Bani Israel

Who used their sincere deeds as a means to

Obtain deliverance from their predicament

I am longing for that of type sincerity

That if my feet step into sin it takes a step back

Out of Fear of Him

I want that type of sincerity

Where God watch over me

Amused how I abstain for His sake

I want that type of sincerity

where my right hand keeps

secrets from my left hand

I want that type of sincerity

Where I worship Him

Not taking my lust as a Lord

Beside Him

I want that type of sincerity

Where I feel save knowing

My appearance do not matter

My wealth do not matter

But my intention and actions

I want that type of sincerity

Where Iblees finds it hard

To mislead me

Until I achieve that type of sincerity

I will pray I am included in

‘Except sincere worshipers of Allah’

_______________________________________

Note: inspired from reading chapter one of Riad-us-Saleheen

Sam Said

Day 3 (Ramadan Poems): Sam Said

Your presence brought back

The absent father

The injured solider

The tearful mother over

Her lost child

And into a quiet corner you instil

Joy, hope and victory

into their life

Sam Said

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Day 2 (Ramadan Poems): Sam Said

Ramadan

You welcome me

Like a mother hugs

Her new born baby

Feeding me with nourishment

Renewing my innate faith

And there I prosper

With blessing and discipline

Sam Said

Day 1 (Ramadan Poems): Sam Said

To you I devote my love

Every year I turn up

To our date dressed up

In believers’ gown

Perfumed of new page

Leaving you to record

Our story, intentions and deeds.

Sam Said

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Waiting Period

Against my evil soul’s will

I wait your presence,

counting down the days

so my conscious soul could live

to abstain from swimming

in a river where sins flow.

Sam Said

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

No Rules in Remembering You

There are no rules to remembering you.

No games to play.

No trick no win or lose.

No prior warning, It's games over my love.

Some days I'm good and other days I'm dying over you.

Patience and prayers what gets me through I feel peace when upon His name I call Tell me did I do you good?

Am I still your cadceed!

I know there is nothing you can do. These eyes will weep and this heart is in pain. Few seconds all it took for present tense to grey into past.

A piece of paper certified you as DOB and DOD!

Don't get me wrong.

His decree I accept and nothing is said unless He is content! But how am I to ever know, if you are proud of me!

Want you to repeat that quiz and I promise not to guess too quick!

Sit me down go over our family tree for one last time!

Trust me when I say, I finally know it by heart!

No abti or adheer can ridicule me!

And my af Somali isn't so bad! Can you tell I speak a word or two?

Smile now laughing cow is overthrown. You always said that will happen oneday, but guess What Tunisia, Yemen and Libya are all revolutionized!

And as I write this Stephen Lawrence’s murderers are sentenced at last!! But I learned today "Justice delayed is Justice denied". Father, there are no rules to remembering you May mercy of Him shower upon you

Sam Said

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Drought

I am Somalia

I am Mogadishu

I am Beled Xaawo

I am Afmadow

I am every god-damn city scarred by drought.

Yesterday I buried flowers that longed to blossom and one that anguished with heart breaks!

And on this fine day where the sun hides no tear I bury a civilisation of hopeful intellects.

I see souls that carry faith and patience, overlook crammed camps as they pray for a better tomorrow.

The earth weeps for it can't hug no more! Begging them please hopeful remain; your call will be answered.

Mother, hold on, shut your eyes, it wasn't meant to be like this. The order of grief lost its balance.

I'm sorry to hear

Cabdullaahi

Mahad

Axmed

Suhuur

Faarax

Caa'isha

Faadumo

Nimco

Ayaan

and Maxamed in their thousands had to die this way.

Our last breath lacked saliva, wet throat; our judgment call was over in mere seconds

Oh come on, we heard your promises before.

Didn't you pledge in exchange for my prayers

I did recite that prayer, prayed that I grow inside you, so humanity prevail.

I urge for the blessing of the sky to reside here.

The news of it arrival is longed for, break this silence, with sigh I utter the word rain

Patiently we stand in hope to win, so smile and rest; a heart shouldn't fear His test.

By Sam Said 2011

Sam Said

Sunday, June 12, 2011

I exist to repent

Through the darkness of the night

The moment of weakness strikes

befriending the wolves of evil

And embraced by the sheer desire to disobey

My soul runs to the path of sinning

Like an hourglass, it seeks fulfillment in the emptiness

Of its other half

It struggles to keep sanity

The mind tick ticks in thinking

Wondering how it all happened

Where did it go wrong?

I was sure this was the last time

I did promise before

The angel witnessing my come back

And now my voice is sealed

My sins are great

So great it is rotten

Wondering how he, she and they

Could still call me a friend

Can they not smell my sins

See the worry on my face

My hand shakes

My soul breaks

My spirit withers away

And, my words lack worth

As time and again

I utter fake promises

To the One whom my soul

Is in His hands

Sinning suffocates me as

I contemplate how did I become so weak?

How long before His wrath befalls me

I spark and shine in the light

But only Allah knows

The darkness that resides in my heart

I am dwelling in these sins

Their memories tremble my being

People praise my strength

But little do they know my eyes long for some rest

My tears yearn for a remedy

I have searched all within for peace

Only to fail

It is times like these

I realize my hope in

You outweighs all my fears

I turn to You in humility

For if you turn me away

Which door shall I knock?

Your Pardon is greater than my sins

I seek Your forgiveness for my soul found

The courage to remember that

I exist to repent...

Sam Said and Halima Ahmed

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Group Poem 15 - tribute to Mumia Abu Jamal

Oh homing pigeons

flying freely over this open space, deliver this apology mail to Mumia Abu Jamal.

I am sorry for ...

Not knowing you.

Not praying for you.

Not thinking of you.

For this and that ,

for every day I lived and I didn't move forward to freeing you.

These shackles I didn't remove.

These tears I didn't dry.

These pains I didn't heal.

Justice will peacefully come.

There is ease after hardship.

I am sorry .

Sam Said

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Group poem 14 - Islam (acrostic) poem

I - I urge you to

S - Submit to your Lord

L - Love his way with

A - Affection, Sincerity, compliance so that

M - Mercy be showered on you!

-Sam

I - in my heart

S - safeguarded is my faith

L - living by it is my only

A - aim in life

M - May Allah Ta’aal make my last words la ilaha illa Allah, Muhammad rasool Allah...

-Halima

I - Identity, so true

S - Soldier of Allah

L - Lessons by the faithful

A - Always in my heart

M - Magical journey for the soul

-Zana

I - Impeccable

S - Silence- One should say something good or say nothing at all

L - Land of paradise is what I am Aiming for, even though doubts linger my mind- have I truly done enough? No, not just yet!!!

A - Ambitions- A new day, another chance... to strive for better

M -My mind is always searching for a conversation with my Lord. Forgiveness and a symbolic light at the end of a dark and dreary tunnel is what I ask for.

-Rahma

I – Intolerance and disrespect can’t be excused, ban on niqabs and hijabs is just another excuse.

S – Scrutinized and frowned upon…On the train to work they just can’t help but to screw

L – Liberty and democracy, where the majority dictates and the minority decays…I guess there is no better then

A – Adversity, every hardship has its own seed to overcome its own disease

M – Moments like these, sabr is in need, let them judge us, disprove and dislike us…Like they say every dog has its day, they shall have their day when they will be raised up as deaf, dumb and blind…Then they shall say Oh Allah send us back so we can PRAY…Then it is too late!

-Muna

I – Imperfect human being

S – Still able to follow the perfect religion

L – Light as a feather but deep as an ocean

A – All complications must come from me

M – Moderation is the building blocks of ibadah

-Floating Pearls

I – In a world full of deception, where shaitan whispers evil inceptions, Islam perfect religion and the way of life, guides mankind.

S – Simple deen, one Ummah stronger than wolverine, where Hajibi is a queen, having an Islamic state of mind to avoid existence without meaning.

L – La illaha Illa Allah, proudly waving the black banner and Allah the supreme and majestic is the best planner, behold ponder over your manner lest hell becomes your manor.

A – Assalamu ‘Aleykum is our humble greeting, a dua in itself, salah nourshing souls and thyself, Alhamdulilah for the religion of peace and may our iman increase.

M – Muhammed (peace be upon him) is our beloved prophet, Islam is the deen-ul-haqq and being a muslim is a blessing bestowed upon us by Allah Subhan wa ta’aal

-Ilhan

Sam Said, Halima Ali Ahmed, Zana Hashi, Rahma - The thinker, Muna ATM Mohammed, Floating Pearls, and Ilhan Islam