The present fascicle includes works in the following languages; Amharic, Arabic, Chimbalazi (a dialect of Swahili, spoken in Barawe, southern Somalia), Harari, Oromiñña, Silṭ’é, Somali and Tigrinya. In addition, there are a few titles in English, French and Turkish. In other words, it is a very heterogeneous volume.

The level of information we have is very uneven. Thus, in relative contrast to ALA I and II, there is a general paucity of biographical information. Nor have I attempted or been able to give the first lines of every poem listed. W…