Abdullah Shoaib

Abdullah Shoaib is a lesser-known poet of Asian origin. His name came to the forefront when he shook the internet with his reverse poem “Pretty Ugly” in the year 2018. It went viral, and nowadays, the text is read in the academic curriculum and appreciated by poetry lovers worldwide. The beauty of this poem lies in its simplicity, to-the-point expression, and repetition. It deals with a theme that is both timeless and valuable. From Shakespeare in the 16th century to Shoaib in the 21st-century Internet era, the theme of beauty has literally never left the literary scene. In “Pretty Ugly,” Shoaib explores this theme keeping the contemporary fear of being left out, reiterated in ads, movies, and reels.