KHALIFA AL HABTOOR

Funky. Cinematic. Dubai Poet gives voice to the new generation

Meeting the young poet Khalifa Al Habtoor makes me understand not only Dubai but even the world's famous family Al Habtoor, from a totally different kind of perspective. The Al Habtoor are internationally recognized as immensely wealthy, pioneers in so many fields starting with real estate, tourism, polo sports, charity and for sure not at the end, education and literature. The most famous of them is  undoubtedly Khalaf Al Habtoor, the well known mogul and the fortunate son in law of the greatest poetess of Arab world, Ousha Al Sudairi - entitled by Dubai's Ruler Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum -  as FATAT AL ARAB ( Arab's daughter)                             .                  

Between the 7 Emirates, Dubai is for sure the most spectacular from many points of view. Still, so many other surprises seems to be not yet discovered.            

As a writer I am always interested to write about unusual personalities, people with a very special « touch ».                                                                        

Here he is, this Arab version of Jim Morrison, extravagant poet of a new Era. Spiritual, smart, noisy, the young student KHALIFA AL HABTOOR writes poetry in the way he is breathing : deep and temperamental.                                                              

My sensitivity comes from my mother's  sweet and kind nature. My confidence comes from my father's strong personality. I am a free spirit born in the best social environment. Dubai is  amazing cosmopolitan, noisy, colourful, friendly and always on speed. Dubai is ME. Dubai is in each one of my poems. Ofcourse I love to travel especially to South of France, Monaco, Italy for sure, I am a fan of Italian cuisine and I love to know many other cultures. I have friends all over the world. We are a very open family and  in the same time very traditional too but the basis of my education is LOVE. I am writing about my own experiences even I am still very young in my 20.s. Everything in Dubai is very much accelerated and that's the feeling and tempo I do really need for my own literature. I like to explore everything, the poetry of Life is the most important driving motor for me as author, as human being. Maybe i am not the typical Emirati and i do prefere to be let's say the Emirati of the new times. My poetry speaks about another dimension. I build up my own Universe. Call it « modern » if you like. My poems are like myself. Extravagant ? Maybe.                           

Different ? For sure. In any case very much in love with Life. My poems are in fact my love letter to the world."

Article Dr. Monica Mergiu                                               

                    

"I can show you what you've never seen before            

Turning the desert floral and green                                

I can be the nicest even when I'm mean                        

Like light shining trough a broken screen.                      

I will ignore you and leave you an open door                 

I will walk away wishing for what we had before            

I still remember what you didn't apologize for                

I'm still hurt because I don't have you anymore             

This is not what I have imagined                                    

I saw a life when I was a dragon                                    

WE were very happy till reality happened                      

You spoke Greek and I read it in Latin"