World Book Day: Graduate publishes debut poetry collection exploring loss, renewal, and resilience in the Middle East

Thank you for sharing your story and congratulations on writing your first book! What inspired you and how did your creative endeavour begin? 

My debut collection, Swimming: Poems for Hope After Grief, emerged from my personal battle with loss. Upon returning to Kuwait, my journey took an unexpected turn when my father and greatest supporter was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. I put all my plans on hold to be by his side. His passing became a catalyst for me and in his memory, I found the strength to press on and secure the job I always dreamed of and start writing my first book.  

At first, writing was just for me, a private outlet to release everything I was feeling. But a friend of mine encouraged me to share my words with the world. The idea of publishing felt terrifying because these poems were my rawest emotions laid bare. Still, I took a leap of faith and reached out to a publisher in Kuwait, and they believed in my work. That’s how Swimming came to life—a book I never planned to write, but one that I now realise I needed to. 

What made you want to be a writer? 

I think I’ve always been a writer. My childhood was filled with stories from A Thousand and One Nights in my father’s library, and later the mysteries of Agatha Christie from my mother’s collection. Writing has always helped me understand and articulate emotions and experiences. But it was grief that truly made me embrace it, it compelled me to put my feelings into words, and I realised that my writing might help others too. 

What do you hope to achieve with your book? 

More than anything, I hope Swimming resonates with those who have experienced loss and are trying to navigate grief and find hope. Grief can be isolating, and I know firsthand how overwhelming it can be. If even one person reads my book and feels a little less alone, I will have achieved my goal. 

Beyond grief, the collection explores themes often considered taboo in Middle Eastern culture, such as love, family issues, and the importance of knowing your own worth rather than settling for societal expectations, especially as a woman. In many ways, this book is about reclaiming oneself after loss and choosing not to succumb to the pressures of others. I refused to let grief break me or force me into a life that wasn’t truly mine, and I hope this message resonates with others as well.