Undesired

They say the arrival of a daughter
Is undesired, unwanted, parents committed slaughter
They say it marks the beginning of a nightmare
How come they don’t see beauty and blessing over there
She is a burden on the shoulders that
Have raised her, it has always been her trait
Even the womb that carried her for so long
Refused an abundance of love, but treated her wrong
Birth was nothing but a mournful day
Darling, wish I was there just to say
Don’t go, we need you, please stay

Fast forward ten years
Close your eyes, whoever fears
The tragic future of the unfortunate who can’t climb that ladder
She became a slave for any younger and elder
Boys were too good for house work since birth
They were given the world, but what determines their worth
Mother trains her so she can be more
Cursing that day, asking what she conceived her for
Knowing, oh too well women have always been the undesired gender
Used and abused, loved when they put their mask on and keep it slender
Brothers and fathers order her to clean
Fairness doesn’t require “same” but equal, you know what I mean
Yet he maintains, his sons and his pride
While she says:” Dear father, I would die for you, don’t push me to the side.”
Good for nothing, society! What are you good for!
I curse the day you came to reign, more and more!

Fast forward twenty years
Close your eyes whoever fears
Her destiny, she became a beautiful wife
Trying to make a difference, she did survive
A lovely husband but, soul same character as her aunties brother
Respect and love for the soul that unifies, don’t know from one another
“Let’s have a son.” His biggest wish
It’s preying on her mind, while serving dish
As if the gender of the unborn child is in the hands of women
So hard to see the beauty? Life is not about spreading genes in semen
Forgetting that it takes two to create one
Love your wife and Love will raise your daughter and son
And above all, it is for Allah to decide
Remember what she said? ”Dear father, I would die for you, don’t push me to the side.”


• Dedicated to all the girls that have been buried alive •
• And those who did survive •




in collaboration with Halima Ahmed

Thank you for getting me involved in this,
for the huge input and your inspiration!

Somalia - The Nation of Poets