Alara Adilow

(1988) is a Somali poet and writer living in the Netherlands. Her poetry collection Mythen en stoplichten (Myths and Traffic Lights, 2022) was one of the most striking debuts of recent years. 'A daunting debut' said the jury who awarded her collection with the Herman de Coninckprijs, the most important Flemish award for Dutch language poetry. "If the body doesn't fit the language, adapt the language - I see that simple and effective reversal in Myths and Traffic Lights," wrote Obe Alkema in the Dutch national newspaper NRC. She has published poetry in Dutch literary publications, was part of the NOORDWOORD Poetry Talent Programme, is a guest writer at nY and works on her first novel Kijk es naar al dit licht (Look at all this light), to be published in 2025.