Under a Sun that Never Sets

I came from a land where the sun kissed the earth in hues of gold,

Where the ocean whispered secrets to the wind,

And the desert nights sang lullabies under starry skies.

I came from a place where every thread of life held a story—

Of struggle, of resilience, of beauty unbroken.

We left, my sisters and I, carrying fragments of home in our hearts,

Crossing oceans, crossing borders, to a land draped in snow.

In Canada, the air was colder, the language foreign,

But hope burned within us, a light that would not dim.

I remember the first steps: fumbling with words,

Starting from scratch in a place that seemed too vast.

Yet, in every challenge, I saw a lesson,

In every barrier, I found a bridge.

Somalia stayed with me, a constant melody:

The vibrant patterns of baati dresses,

The spices that danced on my tongue,

The echo of proverbs my mother spoke,

“Geediga dheer waxaa lagu gaaraa adkaysi”—

The long journey is conquered with patience.

I have always known the power of stories.

I carry the tales of my ancestors, their wisdom etched in my veins,

Their courage a legacy I strive to uphold.

From the poet-warriors who wove their words like shields,

To the mothers whose hands shaped futures, unseen yet enduring.

Faith anchors me.

The crescent moon guides my nights,

The colors of prayer mats remind me:

There is beauty in submission, strength in surrender to the Divine.

Through every prostration, I find purpose,

Through every verse, a connection to something greater.

Now, I stand as a bridge between worlds,

Rooted in Somali soil yet reaching for Canadian skies.

My community, my heart, is the thread that binds them.

From coaching youth on weekends to leading my peers in faith,

I’ve learned that leadership is service,

That to uplift others is to elevate oneself.

I weave my words to honor the colors of culture:

The red of courage passed down by my mother,

The green of hope I cradle for my future,

The blue of dreams as wide as the Somali seas,

And the black of shadows overcome by light.

This is my journey:

A young girl from Somalia with dreams that stretch to the stars,

Who found strength in her sisters and a home in herself,

Who paints her story in vibrant hues,

A tapestry of resilience, belonging, and love.

Under this sun that never sets,

I stand, unbroken,

A poet, a daughter, a dreamer.

And my voice, like my heritage,

Will endure.

about the poet

I Aisha Abdisalam am a passionate poet and community advocate who draws inspiration from my cultural roots and lived experiences. As someone deeply committed to personal growth and uplifiting individuals around me. I have used poetry as a means to explore themes of identity, and belonging. I have had many opportunities to support my community through leadership roles and mentorship bridging that spark of meaningful change. I hope and aspire to have poetry as a means to amplify and diversify the conversations we have around culture.