it is held that sorrow makes us wise. —Tennyson
Then how come we sad and sorrowful Somalis are still so stupid? —Togane
Because
The fear of Allah is the beginning of wisdom: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
—(The Proverbs, 1: 7)
I am not a he
I am a she
I am Hagia Sophia
I am wisdom
On every day that dawns
With my tears
I water the flowers of the nations
I reach
I teach
I preach
I repeat
I reiterate
I am peace
I please
I tease
I ease
I release
You all
From your ignorance
From your arrogance
I am not a he
I am a she
I am Hagia Sophia
I am wisdom
My ways are the ways of pleasantness
My ways are all the paths of peace
I am the voice crying out in the wilderness
Prepare ye
The way of the Lord
The way of the Prince of Peace
I cry out in the streets
Against the folly that governs the world
I cry out in the streets:
I am wisdom
I am it
I am above the Yankee dullard dollar
I am the principal thing
“Therefore go get wisdom
And with all thy getting get understanding.”
I am not a he
I am a she
I am Hagia Sophia
I am wisdom
I am not
That evil greedy fugly big blind ninny of a mouth
That shied away
That fell asleep
Because
He had feasted on the carcass of the Somali nation
I do not hem
I do not haw
I do not heehaw like my Darod donkey
I do not shirk
I do not shoot off my mouth
I do not shoot from the hip
I do not shoot from the lip
I cannot be shushed
I do not shilly-shally
I do not willy-wally
I cannot be waylaid
I shall not be moved
Till together we storm the gates of heaven
With this our prayer
With this our song
I shall not be moved
Till God heals us all
With peace beyond our fears
With peace beyond our tears
I shall not be moved
Till God heals us all
With hope beyond our clannish hate
With hope beyond our measureless melancholy
I shall not be moved
Till God Himself lifts up our heavy hearts
Till God Himself fills our mouths with laughter
Till God Himself makes our tongues ring with singing
I am not a he
I am a she
I am Hagia Sophia
I am wisdom
I am your teacher
Repeat after me
Repeat after our teacher
Repeat after our own Canadian F. R. Scott:
The world is my country
The human race is my race
The spirit of man is my God
The future of man is my heaven.
