Myra here.
Thank you to Rebecca Zerhog of Sloth Reads for hosting this week.
When we moved to the United Arab Emirates from Singapore a few months ago, I was determined to discover as many Emirati authors as I possibly could. It has been slow-going, this search – mainly because I am still getting accustomed to my new role in the university, finding my way around our new place, and just very gradually building our nest as we adjust to the weather and the people and the environment.
Hence, I am grateful whenever people would share with me news about book fairs, new titles that I should check out, or just share books with me – as it makes me sink my feet deeper into this new soil we call home. I am very privileged to have been entrusted with this poetry book by my PhD student, written by her brother, and which I wish to feature here and share with you all.
Salvaged written by Omar Al Owais (Amazon | Book Depository)
Published by SAIL Publishing (2017)
ISBN: 1542578787 (ISBN13: 9781542578783). Book given to me by poet’s sister. Book photos taken by me and edited using an iPhone app.
I read the poetry book in one sitting. It is fairly thin and written with the raw, searching vulnerability of youth. In the Goodreads blurb, the poet noted how each of the poem has “salvaged” him from despair, from grief, from alienation.
While I am probably not the target market for this promising compilation, there were a few titles that spoke to me which I am sharing with you here:
I especially enjoyed his prose poetry: the sinking into the depths of his mind that requires courage and clarity of mind. While some of the titles here are are still lacking in subtlety, it is to be noted that his training is in a different field / discipline altogether. He shared that he belonged to a family who loves the written word, hence, his passion for writing as evidenced in this book.
I do look forward to reading more of his works, especially as he matures and comes into himself in his writing.
Which poem spoke to you more?
#ReadIntl2020 Update: 12 of 30 (country): United Arab Emirates (poet is from the UAE)
Gathering Books 
Wow! These selections are so powerful!
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What a voice this young man has, and I sense despair. The Weapons of Self Destruction spoke to me and I am always searching for hope that there might be a way out to a less destructive world. Thought provoking work. Thanks for sharing. How wonderful it seems to me to have the opportunity to live in such exotic places!
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Isn’t it interesting how speaking of darkness can lead you to light? He found that working through his alienation salvaged him, perhaps because of what he found on the page, perhaps because he could offer his questions and frustrations to the poem instead of keeping them inside. With the heart of a poet, he is noticing the paradoxes of the world. The next step is to notice the beauties. Sometimes that is easier when you make nature the subject (and then circle back around to people)!
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