Safa Khatib

In this wide-ranging interview – on the humour of maps, immigration officers, pilfering through a father's library, and more – Safa Khatib speaks to poet and translator Mona Kareem about their collection I Will Not Unfold These Maps and the evolution of their poetics and practice amid Arabic and American publishing industries. This piece is published in tandem with Wasafiri 122: The UAE Issue, where Mona is a contributor.

In these three strikingly different poems, Safa Khatib plays with imagery to build pace and create a dark and troubling atmosphere. 'End of the Line' is anchored in the real world – with overheard conversations and overhead announcements on the train – but unease filters in through the cracks. Meanwhile, 'Trespass' and 'Al-Fatihah' address the reader directly while ghostly figures and ideas give the impression of something slipping beyond our grasp.