Poets and writers

Asha Lul Mohamud Yusuf (Caasha Luul Maxamuud Yuusuf)

Asha Lul Mohamud Yusuf is a Somali poet who has lived in Britain for more than 25 years. A master of classical forms such as the gabay, she published the bilingual collection The Sea-Migrations: Tahriib (Bloodaxe, 2017), named among the year's best poetry books, and Taste: Dookh (2012). She also hosts a Somali TV show in the UK.

Last checked 2026-11-12 1 source Reading time: 1 min

Asha Lul Mohamud YusufCaasha Luul Maxamuud Yuusuf · Asha Lul

Known as one of
Poets and writers
Era
Rebuilding without a state, 1991 to 2012; Who holds power, 2012 to now
Sources
1 sources

Who is she?

Asha Lul Mohamud Yusuf is a contemporary Somali poet who has lived in Britain for more than 25 years (Wikipedia, Asha Lul Mohamud Yusuf). She is known for her command of classical Somali forms such as the gabay, a field mostly led by men (same source). See Somalis in London.

Books

Her books, in Somali with English translations, are (Wikipedia):

  • Taste: Dookh, translated by Maxamed Xasan "Alto" and Clare Pollard, Poetry Translation Centre, 2012
  • The Sea-Migrations: Tahriib, translated by Clare Pollard, Said Jama Hussein and Maxamed Xasan "Alto", Bloodaxe Books, 2017

The critics Jeremy Noel-Tod and Carol Rumens both named The Sea-Migrations among the best poetry books of 2017 (same source).

Reach in the diaspora

She reaches Somali audiences through her YouTube channel and WhatsApp messages, and hosts a Somali TV show based in the UK (Wikipedia).

In short

A London-based master of Somali classical poetry whose 2017 bilingual collection was named among the year's best.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia, Asha Lul Mohamud Yusuf · en.wikipedia.org

Asha Lul Mohamud YusufCaasha Luul Maxamuud Yuusuf · Asha Lul

Known as one of
Poets and writers
Era
Rebuilding without a state, 1991 to 2012; Who holds power, 2012 to now
Sources
1 sources

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