The Idea of Homeland in Modern Persian Poetry in AIS Newsletter

What is it about the homeland that creates feelings such as nostalgia, love, longing, and patriotism? Is it the material aspect, the beauty of nature, and its accompanying blessing that motivate the feelings of the poets? Or is it something more spiritual or intellectual such as love, the longing of seeing a loved one, or is it perhaps better defined as the research for freedom? As an Iranian-American poet, I wondered about those questions that interest me greatly, having been away from my homeland for more than a decade. I have been looking into contemporary Persian poetry and its precursors for answers. This text is an excerpt from a talk that I gave at UC Irvine in November 2015. This talk was made into a larger study, written for the most part in Persian. This English extract of The Idea of Homeland in Modern Persian Poetry was published by the American Iranian Association (AIS) Newsletter, Spring 2020.

Link AIS Newsletter: : https://associationforiranianstudies.org/sites/default/files/newsletters/Spring2020.pdf

I Look at Istanbul with Drunken Ears

Here is the Vimeo version. Poet (Sheida Mohamadi) reciting this poem with the original language, Persian. 

https://vimeo.com/95980812

                                                                           

This road has been intentionally brought here with the blue bus             

with the strange crowd of pigeons

And the impatience of the shirt and the skirt and the boots

Something has happened in the mirror                     what is the matter with you Istanbul?

You have put on somebody and this is the scent of the beloved from your shoulders     

the scent of earth and geraniums

The evaporating colorful scent.

O, City with the eyes of the sea and colorful waves

Beyond the vapour in your back, walls of swear words and love letters

What is the matter with you Istanbul?

Where are we going with my feet of bronze in the middle of the night?

With these sweet-smelling dead offering tea and cigarettes, why are we sitting here?

I want to make love to this stone man under the rain, o city

To sing barefoot to Bokhara, to listen to the body of the poplars

The air is an orchard of mint tonight

Do you hear?

- Your health            your health!

How sweet is being in love

These extravagant hands        these shops

The whirling Snow           pomegranate blossoms

Storks in water

And in shirts        shadow of a dark dance.

How did you find this room?

I turned into music with the scent of this bed and this quilt, did you know?

With the noise of these windows we laughed deeply   …. With you.

O, city, I know the scratching of this line

These singing umbrellas

Something has happened to me with these clouds!

My eyes cannot say Istanbul

My hands cannot …

Here is the link of the Persian language versions. 

Created by Sheida Mohamadi

It makes me  happy to see one of my favorite poems - "Istanbul" - extending its reach to other tongues and cultures within a relatively short time; and this I owe to Dr. Faride Pourgi, Dr. Hashem Khosroshahi and Dr. Radek Hasalík for their beautiful translation to English, Turkish and Czech respectively -- all three endowed with a rich literary tradition.

Dívám se na Istanbul opilýma ušima

Tuto cestu sem záměrně donesl modrý autobus cizí hejno holubů
A nedočkavost košile a sukně a holínek
Něco se stalo v zrcadle co je to s tebou, Istanbule?
Oblékl sis někoho a to je ta vůně milovaného z tvých ramenou vůně země a muškátů
Vypařování pestré vůně.

Ó, Město s očima moře a pestrých vln
Za oparem ve tvých zádech, stěnách nadávek a milostných dopisů
Co je to s tebou, Istanbule?
Kam půjdeme s mou bronzovou nohou o půlnoci?
Touto sladce vonící smrtí nabízející čaj a cigarety proč tady sedíme?
Chci milovat tohoto kamenného muže za deště, ó, město
Bosý zpívat Buchaře, naslouchat kmenům topolů
Vzduch je mátový sad dnešní noci
Slyšíte?
- Vaše zdraví vaše zdraví!

Jak sladké je být zamilovaný
Tyto plýtvající ruce tyto krámky
Vířivý Sníh květy granátových jablek
Čápi ve vodě
A v košilích stín temného tance.

Jak jste našli tento pokoj?
Obrátil jsem se k hudbě s vůní této postele a této přikrývky, víte?
Hlukem těchto oken jsme se dosyta nasmáli .... s vámi.
Ó, město, znám škrábance této drážky
Tyto zpívající deštníky
Něco se mi stalo s těmi mraky!
Mé oči neřeknou Istanbul
Ani mé ruce ...


Sheida Mohamadi
do češtiny z anglické verze přeložil Dr. Radek Hasalík
Valašské Meziříčí, 11. března 2015


Here is the Turkish version. 

İstanbul’u seyrediyorum sarhoş kulaklarla

bu yolu buraya mavi otobüsle kasten getirmişler     tuhaf güvercin dalgalarıyla

ve gömleğin, eteğin ve çizmelerin dur duraksızlığı

aynalarda bir şeyler olmuş galiba   ne oldu sana İstanbul?

sen birisini giyinmişsin ve bu sevgilinin kokusudur omuzlarından           toprak ve sardunya kokusu

kendi uçarı renginin kokusu

ey deniz gözlü rengarenk dalgalı şehir

ardındaki pusta küfür dolu duvarlar var ve aşk mektupları

ne oldu sana İstanbul?

benim tunç ayaklarımla gecenin bu saatinde nereye gidiyoruz?

çay ve sigara ikram eden bu hoş kokulu ölülerle neden burada oturuyoruz?

ben yağmurun altında bu taştan adamla sevişmek istiyorum ey şehir!

Buhara’ya kadar yalın ayak söyleyeyim ve kulak kabartayım kavaklara

hava nane bahçesidir bu gece

duyuyor musun?

şerefe              şerefe!

sevdalanmak ne de hoştur

bu savurgan eller               bu mağazalar

sufi kar                narçiçekleri

suda martılar

ve gömleğin içinde            karanlık bir dansın gölgesi!

bu odayı nasıl buldun

ben bu yatak yorganın kokusuyla müzik oldum           biliyor muydun?

bu pencerelerin çığırtısıyla taaaa yürekten… güldüm seninle

bu satırın hışırtısını tanıyorum ben ey şehir

bu şarkı söyleyen şemsiyeleri

bu bulutlarla bana bir şeyler olmuş!

gözlerim İstanbul diyemiyor

ellerim yapamıyor...

Poem by Sheida Mohamadi

Translated by Dr. Hashem Khosroshahi

The Alchemist and Narcissus: Selfless or Selfishness

The Alchemist, is the mystery and spiritual book by Paulo Coelho, is a Brazilian writer and songwriter, is about the Personal Legend. The Alchemist, who knows the philosophy of the stones and introduce in late of the book, encourage Santiago, the main character of the story, to follow his heart. The alchemist finds the book that wrote about the myth of Narcissus. "The alchemist knew the legend of Narcissus, a youth who knelt daily beside a lake to contemplate his own beauty. He was so fascinated by himself that, one morning, he fell into the lake and drowned. At the spot where he fell, a flower was born, which was called the Narcissus" (ix). Coelho, the author of the book, continue the story is different though. The goddess of the forest comes to the lake after Narcissus had died. She finds lake was transformed into the pure tears. The lake was crying for the Narcissus because missed the reflection of his beauty in his eyes. The Alchemist feels happy when reading this version of the story.
The Narcissus spotlight the question about selfishness which opposite of love because when we are in the love mood, we can't put ourselves in the center. Santiago, during his journey, falls in love with Fatima, the young beautiful Arab woman, who pursue him to following his dreams. Santiago tempted to stay in oasis and marry to Fatima but the alchemist guides him to continue his Personal Legend. The alchemist convinces him to know the Soul of the world. He encourage him to transfers himself to wind and able to talk to the sun, desert and wind. Symbolically, the alchemist inspires him to love the nature, human and inanimate objects instead of selfless or selfishness. The alchemist also assistant Santiago to the process of spiritual purifying into purification. And also, Fatima associate him with pure love. Fatima teaches Santiago the true love set us free and she doesn't keep him for herself. A young Arab woman who lives in the oasis, encourage Santiago to pursue his dream then return back to her because if he didn't realize his destiny after a while the shepherd has a regret and gradually their love turn cold. Her reaction is not common that's why when Santiago left her, he starts to compare Fatima with the wives of his friends who struggle with their wives to explain the shepherd have to go to the distance. Santiago admires Fatima and loves only growth with admiration. But even though, the shepherd suffers to leaves Fatima but he prefers to find his treasure. Santiago like the Narcissus just contemplates himself and his Personal Legend. The most important things for him is achieving his dreams. He focuses on himself and this is opposite of the meaning of the true love.The only woman character in the story is Fatima and she is the only one who expresses the language of the love to the main character. Fatima and the alchemist enhance Santiago and us to track the true beauty within the universe and the Soul of the World.  In my opinion, she understands true loves more than the Santiago because instead of owning the man for herself she set him free. In addition, Coelho, during Santiago's character shows us the man more concentrate about himself and reflect on his image to others than the woman. "Because people become fascinated with pictures and words, and wind up forgetting the Language of the World” (87).

living like a people or sheep?

 Paulo Coelho, who wrote The Alchemist, is a Brazilian writer and songwriter, successful and bestseller books is about looking for a personal legend. Santiago, who is the main character, left a church and become a shepherd to can travel in the world. His father who give him three antique Spanish coins and blessed Santiago with his dream. Father advice son if you want to travel in the world you have to be a shepherd and he did. "He had wanted to know the world and this was much more important to him than knowing God" (The Alchemist 8).
 Santiago buys sheep and travels with them two years until he has a dream about treasure in pyramids in Egypt for several times. He changes his books any village or cities when he arrives. He reads a book for his sheep and believes they understand. He shares his feelings such as happiness, loneliness or even comments about people or village that they passed to his sheep and see their impression on their face. The shepherd has noticed it is some mysterious energy bound his life to his sheep. "They are so used to me that they know my schedule" (The Alchemist 4). But one day when he merges his sheep toward the sun notice they only concerned about food and water and their days all the same. The sheep trust the shepherd whenever he guides them and in exchange, give him "wool, their company and once in a while their meat"(The Alchemist 7). But they are not able to read, or change their young lives, even rebel against their shepherd or merchant when they decide to kill them; "they would become aware only after most of the flock had been slaughtered, thought the boy. They trust me, and they've forgotten how to rely on their own instincts because I led them to nourishment" (The Alchemist 7). In this point, sheep reminds me the people who don't have any individuality and just follow the power. Power of government, media, ideology or religion without any questions, any request or stand up for their rights. The sheep bleat in unison like the people who just repeat the slogans over and over without thinking for themselves and gradually they melt in propaganda as much as it is difficult that we spread them from propaganda. In The Alchemist, Santiago thinks about his sheep lifestyle and finally realized "They never have to make any decisions, he thought. maybe that's why they always stay close to me." (7)

Freedom of sprite

 Chinese_American children struggle with depression, stress and low self-esteem for achieving high academic points than their parallel achieving American peer, and the reason tie up parenting style. Amy Chua, writer of "Why Chinese Mothers are Superior" mentioned "Western parents are concerned about their children's psyches. Chinese parents aren't. They assume strength, not fragility, and as a result they behave very differently"(3). Because of this, tiger moms demand excellent grades because they believe their kids can get them. If children can't get it, they assume they are not working hard. So Chines moms would take a lot of practice tests and work through with their child until their grades go up to an A. If they are  still imperfect and do not complete their duties, Chinese parents punish and shame the child. Amy adds an authoritarian parent "believes that their child will be strong enough to take the shaming and to improve from it" (4). In contrast, permissive parents worry about their children's self-esteem and even if they are trapped with same situation they do not talk straight with their kids. They tiptoe around the problem! Easy going parents still worry about their children's test grade but if they don't well, they are concerned about curriculum or challenge the subject how to taught or even bring the question about the school. They make the appointment with principal of the school and criticism the teacher knowledge!

In Chua's story she tells us how she made her 7-year-old daughter sit at the piano without food or bathroom breaks until she mastered a difficult piece. And also, she confesses that she called Sophia garbage once. Unlike Chua, Alan Paul, writer of "Panda Dad" and father of three kids, has a different point of view. He responds to Chua, " ... my wife would not tolerate me calling the kids garbage or chaining them to a piano bench; we would both view this as barbaric and counterproductive" (1). He believes kids have to study constantly but at the same time they have to learn to take responsibility for their homework, play time and other work. He mentioned their house is like a state university, where kids can get great education but they have to learn to do their own work."Doing so allows them to take genuine pride in their accomplishments. They need to succeed for their own benefit, not to prove that their parents are successful" (2). I don't like Amy's parenting style. My point of view is  close to permissive parenting style. You have to feel good about yourself, and then you can do well. Self-criticism and low confidence are against self improving.These discourage children who want to discover herself and her life. She or He can't trust her/his self and others and isolate themselves from others because they feel they are not perfect. They are scared to lose the battle. My experience was like controlling parents style. Achieving high education degree is one of my goals too but I wish I was able to learn how to live happily in my own life instead of doing homework which was too difficult for my age abilities and stopped me from  enjoying my childhood.

Become Independent and Strong Woman

The most effective courses of life that I had was every opportunity that I can travel and have chances to interact with liberal, influential and strong people  who encourage me to grow up and be conscious  about my progressive mind. Meanwhile some instructors and classes make me grateful about this process and their wisdom words. One of them that I remember now was my six grade teacher when I lived in Tehran under bombing city with Iraqian air-force. Islamic government arrested people who had a sympathy about socialism, previous king or opponent about religious politics. Under threatening and dark huge fear that I felt , smell it and see it everywhere one of my teacher who taught us economic came to the class and stood in front of the board with head up and strong eyes and asked us" this is a really mean of life? this is that you really want to know about yourself, your life, your country, your religion? are you really studying about your religion? do you believe if you died you are going to other world? you are eating banana and fruits in heaven?( that period banana was banned it in Iran and one of the luxury fruits that nobody can afford it expect rich people). Her powerful words with her stunning eyes influenced my feminist work and changed me to person who cannot followed any politics, religion or any idea from any person or power without thinking, without researching and also learned magical word"NO" saying no without doubt, prejudice, judgmental mind. It goes without saying. She changed my life and showed me strong face of woman in during time when nobody has nothing opposite of the regime. Saying truth without thinking about the circumstance which effected her life but she cared more about the process of thinking and challenging mind instead of the book. Economic course with a lot of censorship it doesn't matter for her and later for me but the most important things that she wanted to teach us is the way that we think and look deeper to things. Reading philosophy, psychology, logic and science instead of following the ideology which the government wants to establish in our mind and life.

 I don't know what's happen to her because I have never seen her again but I become Journalist who work for woman rights and I paid a lot to be independent and strong woman who say NO to Islamic government and finally they forced me to leave the country but I don't have any rejection because all the time her green, stunning and strong eyes stay with me.

Hidden Wasting Time

Honestly, it's too hard for me to keep time track because I flow with moment. I also follow my mood so even get hardest to keep study schedule or work deadline. I feel I was much more better in past especially last semester; even though that I had 13 units, I focused on my studies but now I can't concentrate on my studies even when I try several times but I push myself to back on my good habits. When I am analyzing my time management I realized I spent a lot of time for unnecessary things  such as unimportant things and thought about something which drag me down. And also I post pond the important task to later date. I am not scheduling my week or near future to save more time. I just schedule my day! the means I don't plan my week before unfolds. Other hand, I don't nail a time to each task that's why most of the time I feel overwhelmed with unfinished homework this semester. I know my deadline but my dreamy mind loves to read books, literature, more interesting   articles like as philosophy, psychology and sociology instate of boring essay topics. Maybe this is the hidden reason that I post pond my college writing essay.  
The good side of writing time log was learning effectively manage a time and set my goals by planing and do my priority more in less time.  In the beginning, seems like a dream for me but my subconscious alert me about the time is passing and finally I dropped some of my class that I think I can't work on it this semester but I missed due date so unfortunately I got W but I feel more lighter than before. I only focus on my writing class but I felt pity when I heard American History and Philosophy classes was full and the professor couldn't add me this time. I learned a lot from those classes because it's more challenging and have a lot of new and unfamiliar vocabulary that I love to learn use them. I will take both of them next semester and I am sure everybody need to know about these topics. I love learning new things and I am so excited for my next year study plan.