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FGM POEM FROM SOMALIA

 

By Abdi-Noor H. Mohamed

 

Birth of a baby must be a blessed event
But mine was nothing short of a curse
Daddy's face didn't shine. Drums didn't make noise
No shots were fired. No ceremony was held
The new born was me. I am a girl
In my culture, gender counts most.
A girl is not as welcome as a baby boy
Raising camel in the rangeland
Is family's highest priority
They believe a girl has no hands for that
Harsh combat against the enemies
Is family's highest priority
They believe a girl has no heart for that
Reconciliation in the aftermath of a clash
Is family's highest priority
They believe a girl has no head for that
At five I had to face the worst
A knife cut across my genitals
A midwife circumcised me
Stitched me. Infibulated me
Where I used to have a clit
I have a black scar now
Why inflict me with this pain?
This real pain of primitive cultures
In tears I am, at every stage of my life
Mom and Dad, am I not a daughter?
Dear Brother, am I not a sister?
Dear mankind, wherever you are 
Am I not a human being?
Tears, Tears, Tears

 

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