This October, Maldivian readers and tourists alike will be introduced to a fresh and powerful literary voice with the launch of “Heal in Paradise – Collection of Poems from the Maldives,” the first Maldivian poetry book introduced as a “Literary Souvenir,” a keepsake for locals and travelers alike. 

Behind the beautifully woven words of this work is Hawla Riza, a 36-year-old HRM lecturer working in the public sector, whose journey into poetry began as a coping mechanism of survival.

Born from the grief of losing her father in 2021, the collection evolved over two years of writing, mostly early mornings, before the chaos of daily life, stolen moments on her phone’s Notes app, and even whispered verses memorized during commutes until they could be written down. What began as fragments of emotion has taken shape as three chapters, Love, Pain, and Heal, embodied with images of island shores, bioluminescent beaches, and the fragile resilience of human memory.

Ahead of the launch, The Edition sat down with Hawla to talk about poetry, healing, and what it means to write the soul of an island.

I’ve always been the “designated writer” in my circle. Friends and family came to me for everything, from letters and emails to the perfect angry or romantic text message. But it wasn’t until 2023 that I discovered poetry as an art form. What began as therapy quickly became a passion. I often say “poetry flows in my bloodstream,” and writing this book felt so natural that at one point I had to force myself to stop and compile it all.

Not poetry, exactly, but English was always my favorite subject. I vividly remember the thrill of essay questions in exams, and the joy of seeing my teacher’s words “beautifully written!” scribbled in the margins. That validation planted a seed that stayed with me.

My father was my first inspiration; he wrote with a direct and sensual honesty that I deeply admire. Beyond him, I am captivated by Mahmoud Darwish, whose lush, aching verses carry the weight of history and longing. And then there’s Eminem. His mastery of rhythm and raw storytelling revolutionized how I think about unfiltered words. He proves that verse can be both relentless and profoundly human.

Everything I feel deeply, pain, heartbreak, love, rage, healing, the beauty of my island home, my search for belonging, all of it. I believe life itself is poetry in motion.

That’s like asking me to choose a favorite child! Each chapter, Love, Pain, and Heal, captures different moods, so I think readers will find their own favorite depending on where they are in life.

Those are the ones that demanded the most vulnerability. To My Child in Heaven was agonizing; it meant reliving one of the most painful days of my life. I kept removing it from the manuscript, then adding it back in, until I finally accepted that if poetry is about truth, this poem had to be included.

Another was Carry Me Home, about my lifelong sense of not belonging. I’m jealous of people who fit in so easily. I almost edited it to be less direct, but in the end, I left it raw. When I wrote “out of place, within family, I do not fit, even at home,” I hoped others who feel that way might breathe easier, knowing they are not alone.

I suppose I’m a bit of an oddball. My mother always told me I could do anything I set my mind to. She called me hivvarugadha (Resilient), and I think that has shaped me. At my core, I’m an observer. I collect snippets of life, emotions, and conversations, and I’m always turning them over in my mind to find the poetry hidden inside.

Discipline. I schedule it like any other appointment. At first, it was difficult, but now certain routines or even a favorite song can switch me into writing mode. My phone’s Notes app is my lifeline. Ideas arrive at the most inconvenient times, on my bike, in a parent-teacher meeting, brushing my teeth. My family is used to me stopping mid-conversation to jot something down. I’ve even pulled over on the side of the road just to capture a line before it disappeared.

With Heal in Paradise, Hawla Riza offers more than poetry; she offers a piece of herself, and by extension, a piece of the Maldives. As she puts it: “This book is a souvenir of my soul and home, dripping with the essence of all I am.”

Her work has already found its way onto international platforms, where she writes of love, grief, beauty, and resilience. Like the coral atolls that rise from the ocean’s depths to form harmony above the waves, her words surface from profound places within her, creating meaning out of memory and emotion.

Pre-orders will be open in early October, with a book signing event to be held later in the month. This work of art will speak to Maldivians who see themselves in her words, and to visitors who wish to carry home more than just memories of the turquoise lagoon.