2006 Conference POETRY NIGHT (SHAB-E SHE'AR )

One of the most exciting sessions of the 2006 DANESH conference was its Poetry Night. Chaired by Homayoon Shidnia, the session featured Peyman Vahabzadeh and Ali Zarrin, who presented their poems in Persian and English. Adding considerably to the substance and process of the session was the interaction between the presenters and audience. We are pleased to include the following poems requested from Drs. Vahabzadeh and Zarrin:

"Untitled"
by Peyman Vahabzadeh

I've been touched by him 
I know how caring he can be 
or how trivial I upon arrival at his door 
lost for words 
I, who come from a world of poetry 
that sinks helplessly into noise 
when we no longer speak the ineffable
I've been visited by him 
I know how blinding he can be 
or how inefficient these hands that can no longer shield my eyes 
as I try to see what's been kept hidden from us
I, who have never seen my twin sibling 
or if I have 
no memory brings back to me 
what was left of me a thousand years ago 
somewhere along this curious path we call life
I've been chosen 
I've been enchanted 
crossed, sobered, mystified 
I've been taken by him 
and I know this one-time visitor 
the perfect stranger 
who's been pacing with me 
forever... ever...

  "A Word with Majesty"
by Ali Zarrin

After we whipped the sea in a foreign land,
our children wept every night for a piece of bread.
What glories did you bring, Xerexes,
beyond a silk coffin?
What glories other than a golden tomb?
Three thousand years of a blood bath!
Three thousand years of wild poppies
grown in the desert,
three thousand years of the sound of a harp
coming from an unknown cave or a grave!
Who taught us to write poetry with our blood?
Hafez must have understood Khayyam well.
His wine is pouring from the same jug
that was once filled with blood shed by the Tartars,
and takes its daily-fill from Nishapur.
When Mazdak spoke of equality
he must have known we have the same blood color.
After we lit the first fire to burn forever,
after we endeared the sun,
and took water for mirror,
our hearts have gone ablaze.

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