Ahmad Shamloo
Born December 12 1925; Died June 24 2000
| In this dead end They smell your mouth To find out if you have told someone: I love you! They smell your heart! And they punish Love In this crooked dead end of a bitter cold Such a strange time it is, my dear! He who knocks on your door in the middle of the night, Behold! butchers are on guard at thoroughfares Such a strange time it is, my dear! They cut off the smiles from lips, We must hide our Emotions in dark closets! They barbecue canaries Such a strange time it is, my dear! Intoxicated by victory, We must hide our God in dark closets! Ahmad Shamloo, July 1979 In the early days of the Islamic revolution, young men and women were sent into the streets to enforce the moral code of the shari'a or religious law, in some cases acting violently and excessively. They "smelled the mouth" if they suspected someone of drinking alcohol, which could be followed by a lashing, and they wiped lipstick from women's mouths, sometimes even cutting the lips with a razor. from Modern Persian Poetry, edited by Mahmud Kianush, Rockingham Press, 1996 |
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David Letter To Honest(11)
My friend Hussein: It's nice to hear from you again. I didn't know that it snows in your country. I thought your country was dry and warm all the time. Here it snows a lot in the winter months. Yes, I have to shovel the snow too! It's a job I hate doing. I keep asking myself why am I still leaving in this region? Where my sister lives in the southern part of the country, it never snows. It's warm and sunny all year long. I love visiting her down there, and going to the beaches and laying in the sun. I'm an ocean kind of person. I love being near the ocean. I find it to be relaxing and peaceful. The children you were teaching in the private school remind me of some of the kids here. I think parents have become much more lenient with their children than in the past generations. I could have never gotten away with some of the things that I see kids doing today. Thank you for sending me that poem you mentioned. I would like that very much. I have a great appreciation for poetry. You wanted to know what Americans opinions or views are of your country and it's people....... I think most Americans think that Iranians hate them and the government. These feelings go back since the seventies with the embassy situation. When they think of your country they often think of anti-American protests and violence. Americans know little about your beautiful country and it's people, other than what is some times seen on their television sets at home. We know so little about your culture and people. I think that's sad. Americans don't hate Iranians or your country, they just are cautious about it. I wish relations between our two countries were better. We're all the same people inside. Many also think that all Iranians are very religious people. (extreme religious). They some times find it difficult to separate extremist from ordinary religious people. Do you know what I mean? I hope I haven't offended you my friend. I'm just answering your questions. Please don't take what I'm saying as an insult or disrespect. You are my friend, I wouldn't disrespect you. I want to congratulate you on your future marriage. You're a good man, you will make your wife a happy woman. Best wishes to you both. If you are ever visiting my country, you have to visit me here. I will show you great hospitality. You will be my honored guest. Thanks for the photos again. I enjoyed them. Your country looks so beautiful, I would love to see it for myself. Well, my friend, take care. May God bless you and your family. Your friend, JohnNice day at school why? At first, let me tell you about the heavy snow coming as I am writing this .its sooooo beautiful and annoying at the same time .annoying because, I had to shovel lots of snow and it took me an hour and a backache ! lots of guy on their roof shoveling the snow. do you shove the snow too?...got to school at 8, and helloed my principle who is a real idiot, then went to the class, everybody stood up, I asked them to sit down. Then asked one of the students to come to the board and answer the previous lesson. As usual they were Unprepared, making funny alibi about going this and that where. I just did nothing! What could have I done? Anyway, as I was teaching out of the blue, I heard one of my students using a taboo phrase” F*** You!!! Of course, he said this to one of his buddies not me, otherwise, he would have given a good talking to! I knew who he was so I took his English book and threw it out and yelled at him to Go Out!!! Then said to my students that don’t you ever think that I don’t know about these words and all that, want me to give you a lot of synonyms of the same phrase your friend used? And would he ever use such “bad” language at home when the family gathers? When the bell rang, I called that student of mine to a room and said everything I had told the other students to that student! ……at this period if you aren’t hard with some students they would make a mess all over your shoulder….of course, I don’t have these problems in my kids class. The class I am talking about is a “private school” I teach in. at the same school, I have a better relationship with my students ,today one of them had a poetry book called” Fresh Air” by Ahmad Shamlou one of the greatest Iranian poet who died a few years ago…. I asked him to choose a poem and read the poem he chose to read was called “a place to live” it was about the position of the poets in this modern age; I asked to bring the English translation if possible so I would send it to you. ……Iranians native language is Persian (Farsi) as you can see in that blackboard behind us in the photo I sent you… Iranians weekend is only on Friday, so I have another 3 days before the weekend ……Do you and Americans enjoy doing your job, I mean how job and work is viewed in your culture? Something nice and enjoyable or MUST? Do you ever see any program about