Thousands mourn Shamlou's departure. Photo from Hamshahri
Only ey Iran
Nationalism at Shamlou's funeral
August 1, 2000
The Iranian
Email is from a friend in Iran who was at Shamlou's funeral. I found
it beautiful and informative. It shows an atmosphere very different from
the kind you read in the papers. -- Sourena Mohammadi
On Thursday morning, 27 July, at 8.00 a.m, I went to Tehran's Iranmehr
hospital for Shamlou's funeral. The crowd was unbelievable. From Dolat
Street to down part of Hosseiniyeh Ershad people were standing and crying
for him.
There were lots of posters and placards with his photograph and poems.
For example one of with his famous poems "Hargez az marg naharaasideh-am
agar cheh dastaanash az ebtezaal shekanandeh-tar bood ..." or "Pariaa-ye
nazanin chetooneh zar mizanin...?" But I myself like the one banner
which was written on it "Ankeh hargez az marg naharaasid, darighaa
shiraahan koohmardaa keh to boodi."
At 8.30 Mahmoud Dolatabadi appeared and without any introduction recited
one of Shamlou's poems through loudspeakers. People were crying a lot.
Then all the people started to sing "Ey Iran ey marz-e porghohar".
I have to confess that I was very excited.
Then the loudspeakers started to broadcast Shamlou's poems with his
voice and to my surprise many people repeated them. At 9 o'clock Dolatabadi
again appeared and asked people to open a path for the ambulance carrying
the corpse. When the car appeared, people started to throw flowers on it
and the car under the rain of flowers moved slowly and people followed
if southward.
All the Kanoon-e Nevisandegaan (writers guild) members were there, reciting
different poems by Shamlou and when each poem finished, the tearful people
clapped. Many recited his poems in a loud voice.Then loudspeakers announced
that 150 buses are ready to take people to Emamzadeh Taher. Despite so
many buses I had to stand in bus (apart from the fact that many peoples
went by their own cars). I think in Tehran 30,000 and in Emamzadeh Taher
7,000 people took part.
The state television hadn't published any serious news to inform people.
I think if more people knew more people would have come.
By the way when we reached Emamzadeh Taher the loudspeakers recited
his translated poems of Ignassio: "boro ignassio be haya baange shoorangiz
hasrat makhor , bekhosb, biaaraam parvaaz kon - daryaa niz mimirad."
Everyone was crying and listening to the tapes one after another with
Shamlou's voice thruogh loudspeakers. Then many famous writers and poets
gave speeches for him. Atashi recited a poem for him. Simin Behbehani said
something very interesting: "oo kesi bood keh joz bar ketaab va daftar
sar kham nakard."
By the way at the end, Shamlou's wife Ayda thanked people and we returned
home at 3 in the afternoon. I'm sure that I will never see such a great
funeral again.
Az ozgal haa ham kesi nayaamad. dar zemn hattaa yek baar laa elaaha
el alaah baraaye mordeh nakhaandand. faghat sorood-e ey iran.
