Anyone who has organized a poetry event  knows that you will only find out how large [or small] your audience is ten to fifteen minutes into the program. That was the case when PCC/SDSU hosted  Roger Sedarat, the author of “Ghazal Games“, on Thursday, April 19th. However, as an organizer, I could not have asked for a more diverse and engaged audience, albeit small.

Professor Sedarat read from his new translations of Hafez as well as his own English ghazals. Poetic themes varied from reciting about one’s lover, hybrid identity, and the concept of “perfect translation” itself. Sedarat has an unmistakable gift in connecting with his audience, mostly through his humility and charisma.

He explained the structure of the Persian ghazal to his audience, identifying its distinct differences from the English sonnet (ghazal was called the Persian sonnet by poets such as R.W. Emerson). The sonnet works as a unit, hence offers little flexibility Read more »

The Dalai Lama addressing a crowd of 11,500 at Viejas Arena

The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet paid a historic visit to San Diego State University on Thursday, April 19th. He is a man of humor and charisma. Though his speech was marred by his struggle with English, his eloquence was found elsewhere in his profound sense of simplicity, lightheartedness, calmness and peace.

He had already delivered two talks in San Diego, but his last talk at SDSU was far from a formality. He was extremely enthusiastic, saluted and thanked the crowd at the beginning, during and after his talk. Diana Kutlow, a program coordinator, was quoted in a piece written by Peter Rowe, “Everyone who was around him was important to him.” Read more »

“Of what use will be a dish of roses to thee? Take a leaf from my rose-garden. A flower endures but five or six days But this rose-garden is always delightful.”

On Monday, April 9th, the Persian Cultural Center and San Diego Public Library in Downtown organized a reading of Persian literature and poetry. The event was part of One Book, One San Diego, celebrating Zohre Ghahremani’s works, most particularly her first English novel, “Sky of Red Poppies.”  The event was well received.
Ms. Ghahremani moderated a discussion between Dr. Sonya Quintanilla, Dr. Moezzi and myself. Dr. Quintanilla examined the connection between Persian art and poetry, most particularly in the works of Nezami. She compared the female characters of Leyli [and Majnun] and [Khosrow and] Shirin in how they negotiate their rights in patriarchal societies. Shirin, much more strong and assertive than  Leyli, is also the protagonist of Ms. Ghahremani’s novel. Highlighting the historical and literary significance of Shirin’s personality, Ms. Ghahremani said, many believed the Iranian Revolution was after turning our Shirins into Leylis. Read more »

On Saturday, March 24th, there was an anti-war demonstration in Downtown San Diego, mainly addressing Washington’s warmongering against Iran. I recited the following selection of poetry before the demonstrators:

As Americans we may think that poetry is irrelevant and pointless, en elitist pursuit for the educated. Yet in many parts of the world, poetry is the most important art form; its composition and recitation has been and continues to be the most highly prized and widely practiced art form among the people of the Middle East Read more »

Photo: Lorenzo Tugnoli

نادیا انجمن

نیست شـــوقی کــه زبان باز کنـــم از چـــه بخوانم؟

من کـــه منفور زمـــانم، چه بخوانم چـــــــه نخوانم

 

چـــه بگویم سخن از شهـــد، که زهــراست به کامم

وای از مشت ستمگـــــر که بکــــــــوبیده دهــــانــم

Read more »