shohre

Poetry's demise has been highley exaggerated!

Mirza jan, if one sees history of poetry as a transformative one; a linguistic process changing in shape, form and content according to  each era (from the Oral Tradition of Poetry, to Herr. Gutenberg's  mass print form, to the current Digital Era, to the future era of god knows what) one could say that perhaps the form is merely changing. Each generation has probably thought that they were witnessing the final phase of this form, and the  end of poetry has arrived.

Per Iranian poetry I would go for Simin Behbahani, Ismaiel Khoeiy, Mirzaagha Asgari, Shams Langardoy , Reza Maghsody in that order, closely followed by Ziba Karbasi and Nilofar Sari. Then again I'm so uninformed of all the current poetry that the above are probably a fraction of all the substantial poets we have.

Shamlo and Barahani also have argued that most of poets after 1979 really didn't have much to say besides white horses and angry fists! Shamlo, Barahani and above mentioned poets remain the exception of course.

This of theme of "Crisis of Modern Iranian Poetry" deserves its own blog. Cheers

Shazdeh jaan,

I have clearly and fairly stated that it is hearsay, and that I am uncomfortable about stating it. why is that not enough for you as a disclaimer.  

I have heard it loud enough, often enough and from people whom I respect that I decided to say it with every transparent disclaimer accompanying it as I possibly could.  

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Afshin Shafai political activist at Evin prison arrested 2009

Mehdi Samadi political activist at Evin prison arrested 2009 

Zendanian jan: yes, contemporary Iranian poetry is in bad shape

Peotry is a dying art in general, and Iranian poetry is dying a painful death on so many accounts.

On the form front, poetry cannot compete with other more potent and viral art forms (film, music, TV). On the language front, Iranian poetry is completely paralyzed between the now hard-to-follow langue of traditional Persian and the ugly form of "modern" Farsi. Finally, the IRI censorship has crippled many poets and thrown the rest in jail.

The peak of contemporary Persian poetry was during the Shah, when poets like Sayeh were kept at a stipend (e.g. as manager in cement factory), but could write peotry night and day (often against the same hand that was feeding them).

Today, any serious Iranian artist who wants to leave a lasting mark on Iranian population, would be better off doing songs, music or film. The iPod, iPhone and iTune generation has no patience for poetry, and the Hafez loving generation is on its way to iTomb!

She bad mouth anyone here that she disagrees with the very

same way!   

Just track back on her comments exchange with Afsaneh on the Hafez for beginner blogs ..  

!!!

Why repeatedly bad-mouth a great poet, based on HearSay?

This is so unkind (Na Mehrban) of you, dear.

Purely hearsay, that's all I have

That is why I said "I hate to do this".  It has nothing to do with his poetry (or does it?).  Poetry is poetry.  

Ps: and in terms of motive (I mean for anyone), you've got to be kidding.  

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Afshin Shafai political activist at Evin prison arrested 2009

Mehdi Samadi political activist at Evin prison arrested 2009 

...

The word on the street is that he is in with IR now.

*****sorry.  

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Afshin Shafai political activist at Evin prison arrested 2009

Mehdi Samadi political activist at Evin prison arrested 2009 

...

That "street" must be 30 years old and need some updating. Tudeh used to support IR( thirty years ago) they got what they desereved for their mistakes, it's over. Enjoy his poetry.

Mirza jan, if he is indeed the greatest living poet of our times, contemporary Iranian poetry must be in bad shape! Cheers

I hate to do this ........

but the word on the street is that he is in with IR.    

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Afshin Shafai political activist at Evin prison arrested 2009

Mehdi Samadi political activist at Evin prison arrested 2009 

The greatest Iranian poet of our era ... funny too

Getting grumpy at old age, and enjoying it too!