What Contemporary Iranian Poets, Scholars, and Critics Have Said About Naderpour’s Poetry and Writings Translated
by Farhad Mafie Translator’s
Introduction What
have contemporaries said about Naderpour the man, Naderpour the poet,
and Naderpour the social and political observer? The following excerpts are from articles that appeared in Iranian magazines, newspapers, and books, or from lectures, interviews, and radio/TV broadcasts. Together they provide a comprehensive view of contemporary opinion about this multifaceted man and a better understanding of Naderpour’s role as an Iranian poet and intellectual, of his unique style, and of his artistic ability. Ehsan Yarshater Kaveh Magazine (Germany), No. 90, Summer 2001 (1379). In
my opinion, Naderpour’s poems are lasting poems. Undoubtedly, his works
will be counted among the classics in the Persian language. Not only have
his poems been written masterfully, but Naderpour’s strength in creating
expressions and images (that is, in creating pictures of imperceptible
contexts and making them perceptible, as well as in making ambiguous
sentiments and feelings comprehensible) can be seen only in a limited
number of poets. Certainly
many have said and written (and quite correctly) that Naderpour is the
greatest pictorial creator in Persian poetry in recent times, and this is
not an insignificant point. … …
in a series of interviews with Dr. Sadrol Din Elahi that took more than a
year and were published in Rouzegâr-e-
Noe Magazine, Naderpour
has left us with one of the best and most comprehensive analyses of modern
poetry. In these commentaries it can been seen that he has read others’
poems with a sharp vision and has evaluated them fairly. … …
Naderpour was a very generous person and never expected any financial help
from anyone, and even though he was not well off and had hardships in
exile, he always lived very respectably. … Collectively these qualities
are not insignificant, and they are rarely seen in one person. … In the
last twenty years we owe thanks to Naderpour for many expressions that
have now become popular and universal, such as “the sadness of the
loneliness,” “the sadness of exile,” “being cut from our own
roots,” “disheartened by the homeland that is being traumatized.”
… In addition, he has given
life to his poems through his beautiful descriptions, and through new,
effective explanations he has made apparent to us the ambiguous, complex
conditions of our own hidden conscience.
His poem is the poem of our sadness, our worries, our hopes, and
our disappointments. Jalal Matini Iranshenasi
Magazine (Maryland, U.S.A.), No. 2, Summer 2001 (1379). …
[Naderpour’s] difficulties
started in the days before the revolution. In spite of the claims of
intellectuals and the people at large who explicitly said they had seen
with their own eyes the Ayatollah Khomeini’s picture on the moon and a
strand of his hair among the pages of the Koran, Naderpour said he had
seen neither the Ayatollah’s picture on the moon nor the strand of his
hair—but instead, a peacock’s feather—among the pages of the Koran.
He said, “I didn’t see these things, but clearly I see with my
own eyes that Iran, Iran’s history, Iran’s culture, language, and
Persian literature are once again after fourteen centuries being attacked
from various directions.” In spite of this, he did not think about
leaving Iran. Finally, with the insistence of one of his very close
friends, Naderpour decided to go to Paris. That’s why I believe that we
owe Naderpour’s last twenty years of life and the poems he wrote in
those years to his friend’s timely advice. Otherwise, with his
temperament, his habits, and his nature, if Naderpour had stayed in Iran,
he would have been killed many years ago for his defense of freedom, his
deep love of Iran and Iran’s culture, his opposition to crimes against
women, and his opposition to punishments such as stoning. … After
Naderpour’s death, the Islamic government did not allow any memorial
service or ceremony to be held in Iran, proving once again that the
Islamic government is not willing to acknowledge people who are not part
of their system, even after their death. Naderpour
was a generous and magnanimous man, and in the years that he lived in
America he did not accept help from anyone. He was able to manage his very
limited lifestyle thanks to the tuition he received from students in his
private classes, the same loyal students who fulfilled their moral
obligation to Naderpour in the most exemplary manner right up to the
poet’s death, when they wrapped his body in Iran’s three-color flag
with the signs of the lion and the sun, while a large number of
participants sang the anthem “ey Iran, ey Marze Porgohar” [“far from
Iran, that he loved so dearly and so sincerely”]. …
I believe Naderpour is one of the few poets whose names in the next
century will be counted among the first level of poets of our era. This
point should not be taken lightly. … Fereydoun Moshiri From a radio interview after Naderpour’s death in February 2000. I
believe Naderpour is the greatest modern Iranian poet. …
I am willing to compare all his works with others’ works and
prove my points to those who want to challenge me. …
Roshanfekr [Intellectual] Magazine, 1961 (1339). …
Naderpour is one of the best poets of our homeland and one of the most
dedicated defenders of modern poetry. His vision continuously seeks new
things; he flies to unknown lands and far horizons of thought and
imagination; his vision and his flights have given his poetry a very
special significance. Among the modern poets, some use literary words to
express today’s elegant expressions, and others use common words and
simple terms. But Naderpour’s poems and writing represent today’s
literature. In his long
poems, in his beautiful expressions, and in his clarity of words are many
examples. His
special attention to and respect for Hāfez
and also his extensive
study of the poems of this great and divine poet have made Naderpour very
particular about his own work so that he is not satisfied with average or
ordinary work. … Maybe
some of his expressions seem strange for those who are used to classical
poetry, and some of his expressions might not even be considered
appropriate for poetry. But we see that Naderpour’s poetic vision gives
spirit even to the simplest elements of life. … I
hope that his flourishing garden of creativity continues to spread flowers
and bring more enjoyment to the readers of his work. … Mehdi Akhavan Saless Dar Rahe Honar [In the Path of Art] Magazine, 1956 (1334). Naderpour
is truly one of Iran’s greatest contemporary poets, and his poems show
his grasp of Iran’s classic poetry and literature. As with many other
poets, the classic influence has not changed Naderpour’s style but has
actually enriched his work. This poet has been able to distance himself
from repetition and tediousness, an artist’s key enemies, and instead
brings his readers news from the imaginary lands he has traveled. …
All his creative works and images are very much original, and
fortunately he uses very simple, clear, poetic language to express his
feelings and describe his images. Pejman Bakhtiyari Khosheh
Magazine, 1963 (1341). …
One has the right to carry the revolutionary flag in literature, if like
Naderpour and a few others like him the poet maintains a commitment to the
Persian language, follows the rules of correct Persian grammar, [and]
shows a clear and organized way of expressing his thoughts from beginning
to end. … Naderpour and a
handful of other modernist poets follow these rules. … I
have been familiar with Naderpour’s work for a long time. His poems are
very sensitive and thoughtful. … Fereydoun Tavallali Kavian
Magazine, 1955 (1333). …
With a special fluency, Naderpour’s poems take the reader to a world of
color, suffering, and hope, one by one. All his poems have a beautiful
sound, one of Naderpour’s most artistic abilities. In his collection Eyes
and Hands [Chashmha va Dastha] the first poems, such as “Praise the
Night” [“Doroud-Bar-Shab”], “Crazy” [“Divaneh”],
“Memories” [“Yad-bod-ha”], and “Unfinished Act” [“Pardeh-Natamam”],
use a descriptive style colored with great, elegant expressions and
images. It appears that at the time he created these poems, all of
nature’s symbols inspired the poet’s very delicate and sensitive
feelings. These poems show that despite the fact that Naderpour is unable
to release the deep pains of his life, he is overwhelmed with nature and
uses beautiful expressions and terminology.
I
have known this great poet for many years, and I consider him one of
Iran’s greatest modern poets. There are only a few poets who have
Naderpour’s expertise in arranging expressions and words. … For
Naderpour, art is not a hobby. For him, art is a burning desire that does
not leave even for a second. … Parviz
Natel Khanlari
Sokhan
Magazine, 1958 (1336). Naderpour’s
third collection of poems, The Grape
Poem [She‘r-e Angour], is the result of two years of work [1957 and
1958]. Naderpour is one of the great young poets who are constantly
improving, and his artistic talents and abilities are more and more
obvious in each new work. As
the reader finishes The Grape Poem, he or she will keep an explicit image of
Naderpour’s style in mind. All
his poems in this collection, like his other works, are very descriptive.
Naderpour is a descriptive poet, and he expresses his personal feelings
and thoughts in his poetry. … His
love is true humanly love, not mystical love. … What makes this artist
very special are the images that he uses to articulate his thoughts and
feelings. All his images are new and original. In each case they express
Naderpour’s feelings and his intentions very effectively. …
… Naderpour is one of the greatest contemporary poets, and the pieces in [The Grape Poem] are some of the best examples of modern poems. Mohammad
Hossain Rahi-e Moayyeri
Sepid-va-Sieah
Magazine, 1962 (1340). … In my opinion, the current era of poetry is one of the brightest in Persian literature because of the high number of great poets in every category. Such a great number of poets coupled with such a wide variety is very difficult to find in our history. … Current poets such as Fereydoun Tavallali and Nader Naderpour have created great masterpieces that deserve our admiration and give us a source of hope. … Mohammad Zohari Irab-Bad Magazine, 1960 (1339). …
Naderpour’s claim— “If
I am good or if I am bad, if I am a capable poet or an incapable poet,
whoever and whatever I am, I am a poet of my generation and of my time.”
—is
not wrong and is not an exaggeration. … In
poetry and in other writing, skillfully and expertly using common words
with wider meanings—not literary words with narrow meanings—is a great
contribution to the Persian language. … Naderpour’s poems, because of his expertise in classical Iranian literature and European literature (especially French), have special fluency and a firmness that distinguish him from the other poets of his era. In his hands, words are warm clay that he is able to form and shape as he desires. The words in his poems are well carved and well placed. … Mohammad Hossain Shahriyar Tehran
Mosavar Magazine, 1956 (1344). … Naderpour is truly a great poet, and some of his works are very superb. … Mohsen Hashroudi Rahnama-e
Ketab Magazine,
1958 (1337). …
[Naderpour’s] poems and the magic of destiny have been so ambiguous and
intermixed that they are not separable. … … [Naderpour] gives life to the moon’s blue color, the flower’s fragrance, etc., in such a way that space becomes full of fragrance. … Habib Yaghmai Roshanfekr
[Intellectual] Magazine, 1962 (1341). …
I agree with modern poetry, with the words of the modernists, and even
with breaking away from rhyme. But I disagree with poor styles. Among the
young poets I believe in are Tavallali
, Naderpour, Moshiri
, Honarmandi, and Sayeh. … Copyright
© 2002 by Farhad Mafie. All
rights reserved. No
reprint or duplication of this material in any form is allowed without
written permission. For
more information please contact Farhad Mafie: mafie@att.net
or 949-851-1714
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