Khlood Al-Mualla

Khulood Al Mualla is an Emirati poet and writer. She is known for her prose poetry and a body of work translated into several languages, including Spanish, Turkish, English, Italian, French, Hindi and Russian.

Early life and education Al Mualla was born in Umm Al Quwain, United Arab Emirates, and moved to Ras Al Khaimah during her childhood, where she completed her early education. She received a bachelor's degree in architecture from United Arab Emirates University, a master's degree in project management from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom, and a bachelor's degree in Arabic language from Beirut Arab University.

Literary career Al Mualla published her first poetry collection, Here I Lost Time, in Cairo in 1997. It was followed by You, Alone in 1999, Ha' of the Absent in 2003, and Perhaps Here in 2008.

Works

Here I Lost Time (هنا ضيّعت الزمن), Cairo, 1997 You, Alone (وحدك), Cairo, 1999 Ha' of the Absent (هاء الغائب), Beirut, 2003 Perhaps Here (ربما هنا), Beirut, 2008 Without Being Quenched (دون أن أرتوي), selected poems, 2011 Holding the Edge of Light (أمسك طرف الضوء), 2013 I Am Content with Clouds (وأكتفي بالسحاب)

Translations Selections from Al Mualla's poetry have appeared in Spanish, including Sin saciarme and Un cielo que merece la lluvia, translated by Amr Mohamed Said and published in Costa Rica. A selection of her poems was also translated into Spanish by Abeer Abdel Hafez under the title Al extremo de la luz.

Her poems were translated into Turkish by Mehmet Hakkı Suçin under the title Gülün Gölgesi Yok. Her work has also appeared in English translation.

Awards and honours

2008 – Buland Al-Haidari Award for Young Arab Poets, Asilah Festival, Morocco. 2016 – Honoured in the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Peace Poets initiative. 2020 – Selected as honorary member of the Casa de Poesía in Costa Rica and adviser to the International Poetry Festival in San José.