Apologies to Ms. Ullman
I’m a Hama Tuma fan.He writes the most marvellous poem, with a warm feel to it.There is always some surprise or other just lurking around the corner.The next poem, ‘Apologies to Ms. Ullman‘ reprinted from his poetry collection ‘Of Spades and Ethiopians'(1991) has a taunting use of apparent praise and aplogies for dispraise.I have no idea if Liv ullman, the character in the poem, is a real or fictitious one but it seems a familiar story told in an appealing way. Liv ullman visited Ethiopia
and saw the starved in special camps
Sha patted the hungry kids
comforting them
Some say with tears in her eyes.
(She is Norwegian alright,
but I don’t know if she has blue eyes.)
She also met a starved old man
sadly staring at his dying wife
She complimented him
on his hand-knitted cap
Ms Ullman does have a kind heart.
But, the ungrateful old man
ignorant
unable to grasp the beauty in a cap
while his wife was dying and himself starved
Had the nerve to shout back
(or was it a whisper and not a bark?)
‘Do you think I can eat my cap?’
May I send an apology sincere
to nice Ms Ullman
Please don’t judge the Ethiopian
by one ignorant man.
Just go Stockholm or Washington
to meet many an Ethiopian
smart and not starved
who will undrestand the beauty in a hand knitted cap.
Forget the camps and the starved
who by hunger finesse-deprived
May wound your kind heart
By failing to grasp the beauty in a hand-knitten cap.
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Addis Journal 
I think it is about the famous Norwegian actress Liv Ullman. She has played in many of the highly respected Swedish film director Ingmar Bergman’s movies. He recently passed away. She’s an excellent actress. Just thought I’d let you know.
I think the poem reveales that the famous westerners who visit Ethiopia in the name of aid are indifferent to our problem.May be they come here just to improve their public image and watch the unique culture and enviroment.May be they don’t feel our pain except utilize the condition for their own benefit.Afterall the Oromo proverb “a gland won’t bleed except a vein” meaning your kinsman can feel something for you but the 0THER can’t -is may be true.