nadia abduljabbar Biography

I am a liberal Muslim woman from Makkah(Mecca) . By liberal, I mean I am free from traditions and customs that wear the mask of religion, but they are far from the essence of Faith in reality.

I was a university lecturer for about 29 years, but took an early retirment to be free to read and write poetry. I published my first collection of English poetry and its translation into Arabic in 2003.

I was the first Saudi female writer in IWP(International Writing Program) in Iowa city in 2005.

I began to read and love poetry since I was a child, and have some attempts to write Arabic poetry when I was a teenager. I began to write English poetry about fifteen years ago. I write and read poetry when I am happy and when I am sad and whether I am healthy or sick. Poetry for me is like air for the lungs; it is the breeze that my very being needs to breath; to live. Poetry is my most intimate friend, my passionate beloved, my loving family, my honest psychiatrist and my additional identity