About the Poet

Afra Al Zaabi has long been fascinated by the art of words. However, poetry truly found her at the age of sixteen during the New York University Abu Dhabi Summer Academy. Feeling like an outsider and struggling to relate to those around her, she sought refuge in writing and wrote her very first poem—one that would later find its place in her debut poetry collection.

Over the years, writing became a quiet form of keeping a diary, capturing fleeting moments and transforming them into poetry. What began as a personal sanctuary gradually evolved into a lifelong passion for storytelling through verse.

Her fascination with the French language later found its way into her work. While studying French at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, she began writing poems in both English and French, allowing each language to express emotions in its own unique way.

In 2019, she published her first poetry collection, The Art of Being Mine, where readers can witness the evolution of her voice through the years. Her second collection, The Sound of Autumn (Le Son d'Automne), continues that journey through themes of nostalgia, pain, healing, growth, and the quiet beauty of being found.