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Wael Almahdi is a poet, translator, and healthcare professional from Bahrain. He is a recipient of a High Commendation from the Stephen Spender Poetry Translation Prize and his Arabic translations include works by the National Poet of Wales and Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky. He has also translated literature for the 2024 Diriyah Biennale and Won Buddhism in South Korea. In recent years, he has delved into the rich tradition that blends themes, vocabulary, and spirit from Arabic and Persian-a poetic heritage which has deeply influenced major languages like Urdu and Turkish. This exploration inspired the creation of Mashriqi English, a fresh poetic register that merges the expressive depth of Modern English with the multifaceted, centuries-old Perso-Arabic poetic tradition.
""By seamlessly blending Arabic, Persian, and Urdu in English verse, Wael Almahdi has proven himself an accomplished bard and an innovator, pushing the boundaries of English poetry, and challenging notions of English as an ""un-Islamic"" language. Mashriqi is new but grounded in a centuries-old tradition of Muslims incorporating Perso-Arabic vocabulary into their native languages. This novel endeavor deserves our attention."" -Muhammad Ali Mojaradi, author of The Flame of Love: Rumi's 100 Most Passionate Poems""With open arms, Almahdi welcomes us to the future of poetry: multilingual and marrying global styles and tropes that some would consider incompatible (true lovers, however, have always known otherwise). As if simply lowering the net on a tennis court, Almahdi's compositions gleefully hop over the borders of past and present, east and west, the daily and eternal. This is a masterpiece."" -Crescent Reviews""Wael Almahdi's debut poetry collection introduces a confident and eloquent voice to the contemporary literary scene. His poems delve into themes that resonate with millions yet have often been overlooked in English-language publications. A gifted linguist, Wael masterfully blends multilingual elements into his verses, creating a rich and layered poetic experience. His Mashriqi poetry, rooted in a deep understanding of various Islamic and Eastern languages and cultures, is a much-needed addition to today's poetic landscape. This collection not only showcases his talent but also broadens the scope of representation in modern poetry."" -Hammad Rind, author of Four Dervishes""A Breeze from the East is a remarkable collection of poems that captures the essence of human experience with depth and grace... Whether you are a seasoned lover of poetry or new to the genre, this collection is a journey worth taking-one that lingers long after the final page."" -Laureta Rexha, author of When My Absence Becomes a Moon
