Desire (Arezo): Book of Poetry

9780962714818

096271481X

DESIRE: BOOK OF POETRY by Dr. Kazem Fathie stands as one of only a handful of contemporary Iranian works available to Western readers. A compilation of poems in original Farsi as well as English translations, it contains works that span some thirty years. For English & Farsi speakers alike, Fathie's works provide a stunning view of Iranian culture--both as witnessed from within & from without. It is perhaps the ability to clearly sense his homeland through the eyes of memory that is Fathie's greatest gift. His works provide an ideal bridge between American & Iranian culture as well--a bridge in desperate disrepair during these troubled times. For scholars & students of Iran's classical poetry, DESIRE offers a modern day thread with the past--both thematically & structurally. For students of Folklore, it offers a highly accessible view of Iranian culture. But it is the poet's success as a bridge builder which remains his greatest gift, for Fathie has keenly observed the life of his homeland with poetry that combines the Persian & the American worldview. Dr. Mohammed Ali Jamalzadeh, reknowned writer of Iranian literature now living in Geneva, Switzerland, has written 13 pages of preface to the book. Among his many comments, he states: "After many years, from the other side of the world, I have received a book of "Desire" that rarely have I had the opportunity to study such vast knowledge that I would call it a heavenly present & I hope everyone receives the opportunity to study it."