بي تو باز از آن كوچه ها گذشتیم

 

I wanted to remember great Iranian poet; Fereydoon Moshiri who died 10 years ago. I grew up loving his “Koocheh” poem and can still recite parts of it. Growing up, most of his poems which I read were not political but after revolution, he wrote many excellent poems regarding the sad situation in Iran.He will always be remembered fondly by those who treasure his poems.

Fereydoon Moshiri

Young Fereydoon Moshiri

Fereydoon Moshiri was born in September 1926 in the capital city of Tehran, Iran. His family was known to have a legacy of poetry and whereas his father held administrative posts his school years were divided between Tehran and Mashhad.

With the outbreak of the world war II the family moved to Tehran and the young Moshiri continued his education in Dar-ol Fonoon and then in Adib high school. Throughout these years his first poems appeared in progressive journals such as Iran-e-Ma. This was the beginning of a career in literary journalism that continued for more than thirty years. In 1946 Moshiri joined the Iranian department of Telecommunication where he served till retirement. In 1954 Moshiri married Eghbal Akhavan, then a student painting at Tehran University. [***]

 Before he was a poet, Fereydoon Moshiri was a journalist and this occupation helped him to get acquainted with the influential scholar of Persian language and literature such as Ala’me Dehkhoda, Dr. Moein and Ibrahim Pourdavoud.

Moshiri started poetry with Love and Romance when he was a young boy. He published his volume of poetry titled “Teshne-ye Toofan” (Thirsty for the Storm) in the spring of 1955 in Tehran. Two years later, this book revised with some new added poems and published under a new title: “Naayaafteh” (Unfound).

The way Moshiri was taken is the final objective of the originators of the Free Style and poetry. It means that he was accepted to use rhymes in a suitable and rational manner and combine it with a new look at Nature, Things and Persons around, along with a delicate feeling and sensation, to present his poems with a characterized feature.

In 1961, a collection of his poems was under “Abr” (Cloud) published, which was later reprinted for several times under the title “Abr-o Koocheh” (Cloud and The Alley) as a request by his publisher.

Fereydoon Moshiri

Reflections of Man’s feeling towards his life and death, love and destiny, social environment and the whole universe have been the main theme for the selected poems of “Bahar ra baavar kon” (Believe The Spring) published in 1967.

“Az Khaamooshi” (Of Silence) published in 1978; the book covers human’s common pains and sufferings in the 20th century. Peace and friendship, love and serving mankind as a whole have been the foundation of Moshiri’s poetry in his next book called “Aah Baraan” (Oh, The Rain) published in 1988, and his last published work, “Ta Sobh-e Tobnak-e Ahura’i” (Until the Bright Ahuric Dawn) in 2001).

Moshiri is best known as conciliator of classical Persian poetry at one side with the New Poetry initiated by Nima Yooshij at the other side. One of the major contributions of Moshiri’s poetry, according to some observers, is the broadening of the social and geographical scope of modern Persian literature. [***]

In October 1997, Moshiri read many of his best poems at a gathering at the University of California, Berkeley. He was a true writer, a researcher, a great editor and columnist for the poetry pages of many magazines and newspapers.

Moshiri, had been suffering from Leukemia and Renal Failure for almost five years and finally passed away at the early hours on Tuesday, October 24, 2000 in “Tehran-Clinic” hospital

Link to video of Moshiri reciting his poem “Wolf” in Portland, Oregon:

http://vodpod.com/watch/3204434-fereydoon-moshiri-gorg-wolf–

 Here is Moshiri’s most famous poem, “Alley”:

                                                                                          كوچه

بي تو مهتاب شبي باز از آن كوچه گذشتم

همه تن چشم شدم خيره به دنبال تو گشتم

شوق ديدار تو لبريز شد از جام وجودم،

شدم آن عاشق ديوانه كه بودم 

 

در نهانخانه ي جانم گل ياد تو درخشيد

باغ صد خاطره خنديد

عطر صد خاطره پيچيد

 

يادم آمد كه شبي با هم از آن كوچه گذشتيم

پرگشوديم و در آن خلوت دلخواسته گشتيم

ساعتي بر لب آن جوي نشستيم

تو همه راز جهان ريخته در چشم سياهت

من همه محو تماشاي نگاهت

 

آسمان صاف و شب آرام

بخت خندان و زمان رام

خوشه ماه فرو ريخته در آب

شاخه ها دست برآورده به مهتاب

شب و صحرا و گل و سنگ

همه دل داده به آواز شباهنگ

 

يادم آيد : تو به من گفتي :

از اين عشق حذر كن!

لحظه اي چند بر اين آب نظر كن

آب ، آئينه عشق گذران است

تو كه امروز نگاهت به نگاهي نگران است

باش فردا ،‌ كه دلت با دگران است!

تا فراموش كني، چندي از اين شهر سفر كن!

 

با تو گفتم :‌

“حذر از عشق؟

ندانم!

سفر از پيش تو؟‌

هرگز نتوانم!

روز اول كه دل من به تمناي تو پر زد

چون كبوتر لب بام تو نشستم،

تو به من سنگ زدي من نه رميدم، نه گسستم“

باز گفتم كه: “ تو صيادي و من آهوي دشتم

تا به دام تو درافتم، همه جا گشتم و گشتم

حذر از عشق ندانم

سفر از پيش تو هرگز نتوانم، نتوانم…!

 

اشكي ازشاخه فرو ريخت

مرغ شب ناله ي تلخي زد و بگريخت!

اشك در چشم تو لرزيد

ماه بر عشق تو خنديد،

يادم آيد كه از تو جوابي نشنيدم

پاي در دامن اندوه كشيدم

نگسستم ، نرميدم

 

رفت در ظلمت غم، آن شب و شب هاي دگر هم

نه گرفتي دگر از عاشق آزرده  خبر هم

نه كني ديگر از آن كوچه گذر هم!

بي تو اما به چه حالي من از آن كوچه گذشتم