Poetry Reading : An Iranian Contribution to the Community
Diane Tehrani, Clark College
Kazem Tehrani, Portland State University
In the 1980's and 1990's, great numbers of Iranians
came to the United States and went through many changes, moving
from one culture to another seeking to acclimate themselves to
new people, surroundings, expectations and ways of doing things.
Poetry reading, which was mostly practiced in professional conferences,
gradually became a way of helping them to express to themselves
and share with others the many vicissitudes of life in the United
States . With the richness of the Iranian poetic tradition, poetry
reading offered an opportunity to transcend and make sense of what
they were going through. If Iranians were to overcome and triumph,
poetry was one of the best vehicles.
A universal question addressed in
Persian poetry is “Where is
your home?” Rumi has answered this question like this. “As you
see, we are all in a different realm. The realm of poetry is not
necessarily based in fact and fiction.” And again, Rumi says, “I'm
not Muslim, nor Christian, nor Jew. I'm neither from East nor West
nor Rome . I'm not from earth nor from water, nor from air or fire.
I'm not an angel…”
The authors had experienced poetry night
with Iranian scholars at meetings of the Middle East Studies
Association, and the Society for Iranian Studies. Such a night
nourished the souls of those serious students and researchers
of academic subjects. That is how it could relieve the stress
that often accompanies academic and career pressures. The authors
thought perhaps this could also assuage the anxieties of community
members in our city of Portland at Portland State University
. Many members of our community were well-educated. These people
all came – recognizing poetry to be
an important element in their lives.
The authors found that poetry
expands community members' personal and cultural identity to
feel pride in their heritage. It provides a constructive emotional
outlet, offers opportunity to make meaning of cultural symbols,
and transcends vagaries of the circumstance. Most of the participants
tell how poetry night enlarges their ability to see beauty, create
meaning, gain insight into their own existence, and feel connected
to some deeper, larger purpose. They speak about using intuitional
energy, being involved and engaged to define self at the deepest
level of being, seeing their interdependence, and experiencing
the rich rewards of connection to others. Evidence comes from
a collection of Persia House favorites and original compositions
Cultural identity shows up in translations, poems composed for
Persia House, chanted poems, poems accompanied with Persian music,
and Persian poems introduced into university classes. Furthermore,
poetry night offers people studying Persian language an opportunity
to experience types of expression about the breadth and depth
of human experience, nature, love, and mysticism in the works
of celebrated classical and contemporary poets.
The method of
poetry reading follows certain ground rules or house rules of engagement.
These include all viewpoints of all participants to be respected
and honored. Attendees will listen with open minds. Everyone will
participate in some way – whether actively listening,
sharing poetry, giving verbal feedback and support, or providing
information about the activities in the community. Each person
brings two poems to share. Poems are translated or summarized for
those not speaking Persian or English. There is no particular focus
although seasonal holidays such as fall, winter, spring, or special
occasions in people's lives are addressed. Particular nights have
been devoted to specific poets such as Rumi when a larger celebration
brings in the Sufi community of practitioners, singers and dancers.
In general, celebration of Mehregan and Sadih are devoted to Firdausi
and Yalda to Hafiz and Rumi. Persia House exhibits in schools a
focus on Khayyam.
Some of our community members have written about
how poetry has influenced their lives. One member, a physicist, writes
about how important Persian culture is in today's world, cultural
identity being especially crucial for young people. Another member
expresses it as affiliation with a local community while keeping
awareness of a universal perspective. One member introduced Firdausi
to her M.A. women's studies classes. Another member from Afghanistan
appreciated that all forms of Persian are included.
A professor of Persian at the university determined to offer poetry
as part of the cultural background for language study.
Poetry reading transmits values through generations. Age, gender and ethnicity
are transcended. All members learn from one another and from varying ethnic,
educational, and class backgrounds. Motivation and inspiration for community
members to participate include personal search with respect to identity, personal
growth, and development; an extended search for a community with which to exchange
ideas and information; a movement to understand meaning for Persian-ness in global
context; and community-based classes for learning English and Persian and teacher
training.
